Rise of Senshazonia
by SeekerMeeker
Summary: Every era has a time to begin, and a time to end. Out of the ashes of the Apocalypse, new lives rise and take over. However, nobody expected the unexpected, when a simple Senshadou parade in Brazil turned into something more than meets the eye. Now, our girls face a world unlike anything they had ever anticipated...[GuP is the property of Actas. OC's are mine. All rights reserved.]
1. Chapter 1: Calling

**Greetings from SeekerMeeker. This is a brand-new story that I have decided to try out. This should be similar to, but also different from, other stories that I have written so far.**

 **Plus, rating may change from T-rating to M-rating, depending on how I want to explore the topic.**

 **[And one important note: I have been struggling VERY much to try and get the first chapter out. This first chapter will be an attempt at trying out something new. Please review, so that I know what to expect. If you believe that PM is a much better way to review, please review first, then PM me. Thank you.]**

 **[I am open to criticism, in order to improve this story.]**

* * *

 **Alright, let's get started.**

* * *

 **Rise of Senshazonia**

 **By SeekerMeeker**

* * *

 **TABLE OF CONTENTS I**

 **Chapter 1: Calling**

 **Chapter 2: The Waiting**

 **Chapter 3: A New Base**

 **Chapter 4: Once Upon a Time [The "True Introduction"]**

 **Chapter 5: Realities**

 **Chapter 6: Rise of a New Nation**

 **Chapter 7: New Ooarai**

 **Chapter 8: Double Revelation**

 **Chapter 9: - Fog and Tears**

 **Chapter 10:** **Shoukai Shimasu I**

 **Chapter 11 and beyond: Table of Contents II starts at Chapter 11.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Calling**

 _It's been 40 days, and I have lost sight of my sister._

 _That stupid apocalypse...we thought...we were just there to showcase our native sport, the sport of Senshadou, the way of tanks. Although various forms of it are practiced from around the world, it has lapsed to a various degree. Indeed, in the US, it lost much prestige, due to all the shootings and vehicular terrorist attacks. In countries like North Korea, girls are literally trained to kill on sight. In some countries like Saudi Arabia, women are not even allowed to drive tanks..._

 _Ah, sorry for the rambling._

 _After that apocalypse, we-_

"Nishizumi-san?"

"Hmm?"

It was raining outside, lightning striking and thunder roaring. Every time it flashed, the whole room inside lit up. It was a wide, dark blue room, more like a museum space. Lined on the walls were trophies of all kinds, from dull bronze to bright gold. On one of them, nine trophies stood, all of them with the Iron Cross etched onto them. On the other wall was an exhibit, showing two of the most famous schools of style in Japan:

NISHIZUMI AND SHIMADA: THE TALE OF THE LEGENDARY LEADERS OF SENSHADOU

"I am sick of seeing that," a tall girl with short, dark brown hair muttered, glaring at the exhibit. On it, only she, her mother, and two other people were shown: their rivals.

Her rival was in front of her.

"Nishizumi-san," a young girl with light brown eyes and light grayish-blonde hair mumbled. She had her hair tied into ponytails with black ribbons. She sat on a dark blue bench, opposite of where the Nishizumi girl was sitting down.

"Yes," she sighed. "I know, Shimada-san. This has been heavy in my heart..."

"Mine too," the Shimada girl said, sighing. She held her doll very tight, which looked like a light brown teddy bear, but covered in bandages. On top of it, the bear's head was a little wet.

"I have said this a thousand times," the Nishizumi girl replied, sighing. "No kidding; we've been meeting up a lot, just to share our thoughts and hearts together, ever since..."

The two were silent, then both looked at each other, square in the eyes.

Two dark brown eyes and two light brown eyes stared at each other.

"The Apocalypse," both declared simultaneously.

The two girls sighed, leaning on their own chairs. The rain continued to pour, firing into the glass windows like bullets from a machine gun. The thunder roared in the distance, vaguely reminding them of the explosions of tank shells slamming into tanks.

However, all those now felt...dull.

"I don't know," the tall finally spoke, breaking the silence. "But Senshadou feels so...old, now. I mean, I did it all, obeying my mother in everything. How do you feel, Shimada-san?"

"Nishizumi Maho-san," she replied. "Please, you can just call me Alice-san, since we are equals."

Maho sighed.

"And I can't keep up my stoic facade for long," she grumbled. "I am honest with you, only because we both share the loss."

"Don't mention it," Alice replied, sniffing as she cuddled her doll. "But by the way, why did you still remain with your mother?"

"Ah, I did not tell you," Maho mumbled. "Remember the 62nd National High School Senshadou Tournament?"

"Umm...yeah," Alice said, trying to sound enthusiastic. "But...wait, is that why?"

Alice stared at her, eyes wide open. Maho slowly nodded.

"I maintained my belief in my mother's style," she replied, looking down. "I am the official heir to the Nishizumi style, the 'official' style. So that my sister...can be free."

"And now," Alice uttered, hugging her doll tightly. "She's..."

The two looked away, not wanting to say it.

"Miho..." both mumbled.

The storm continued to rage outside, rain pouring, thunder raging, lightning flashing.

"But what really happened?" Alice asked. "The Apocalypse is all we know."

"All we know," Maho replied, sighing. "Is that the Apocalypse covered the entire area of Latin America-Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America-in a strange, massive cloud that prevents air travel and communications. Even the seas around them are now off-limits."

"I don't really know about those areas," the girl with the doll replied, hugging her doll tight. "All I care is...our friend."

"Miho..."

Both were silent again, and the storm continued to roar, to moan, to cry.

Maho then sniffed, then smashed her right fist into the table, causing it to tremble.

"We-we should have never been to Brazil!" Maho finally uttered, gritting her teeth. "Brazil was not the safest of places, but the President of Brazil invited us! And then, suddenly, all that craziness happened!"

Both sat in silence, trying to make sense of it all...

 _The Apocalypse was a colloquial term for something that happened in the entire Latin America. Much of Mexico, most of the Caribbean, and all of Central America and South America got hit by some meteors. However, instead of causing a worldwide crisis, these meteors somehow caused some strange clouds to cover the entire areas. Even from space, no satellite could even penetrate its strange clouds. Hence, everything within was mysterious..._

"We were just invited to showcase our Senshadou," Maho muttered. "And we were just there for supposedly for a few days..."

"And the Apocalypse struck..."

"And we were in the parade when it happened..."

"Man," Alice said, shaking her head. "So many things happened, that it's hard to remember what REALLY transpired there!"

Maho looked at her, and sighed in agreement.

"And remember the stupid helicopters?" Maho asked. The word "stupid" was said with some subtle hostility.

Alice understood why.

"While we're escaping," she said. "Rescue helicopters came, and one of them dropped down its ladder. The men told us that they're going to save all of us."

Maho gritted her teeth, her fists tense and shaking.

"I thought they were there to do so," Alice muttered, sniffing. "A-as so-soon as we're safe...th-they just...they just..."

"Took off without SAVING THE OTHERS!" Maho roared, slamming her fists into the table. It wobbled and shook.

"We watched in horror..." Alice muttered, crying into the doll's head. "An-and...no helicopter even came...an-and...they did not ev-even...save the..."

She trailed off, her tears drenching the doll's head. Maho sat still, her own tears falling down. She wiped them off with her black uniform sleeve.

"After the rescue," Maho growled. "We were back onboard one of the JSF ships, and thought that the others were going to be saved. Unfortunately, the stupid Brazilian government lost too many helicopters...somehow...and they could not rescue the others."

"And left us here," Alice groaned. "Then...by the time our ship left the coast..."

"Those strange clouds," Maho uttered. "Then covered the entire lands, and storms suddenly appeared, forcing our ship and others to leave."

They remembered those. The ships that avoided the strange storms traveled all the way to Europe. There, Maho took a flight from Germany, while Alice took a US airline. Long story short, they were now here, but 40 days passed as if they were moments.

"And now," Maho said. "We're here, meeting each other almost everyday if possible, just to...mourn."

The two girls looked down. The storm outside raged, although it felt a little...calmer.

"I tried to get down," Maho said, sniffing. "An-and...try to escape, but..."

"They restrained you," Alice said. "Didn't they?"

Maho looked at her.

"You too?"

Alice nodded.

"I tried," she said. "But I was too small and weak to resist."

She looked down at her doll. The teddy bear's head was quite wet; it also wore a white-and-green serafuku uniform with a black ribbon on its chest.

"Who would expect," Maho said, more to relieve her chest. "That a simple invitation to a not-so-safe nation, parading around with tanks, will turn into a fight for our lives?"

"We survive," Alice curtly said. "And we don't know the others..."

"Now that I say it," Maho continued. "I recall that some of our peers complained about getting some stuff stolen. Too many of us were naive about what was really going on."

"And many were remarking," Alice chimed in. "That Brazil was so magical."

"Magical," Maho replied, gritting her teeth. "Now magic became voodou or something worse."

"How many students were stuck now?" Alice asked.

"About half of our students," Maho replied. "Half from each school carrier was on land when it happened. Now, each school carrier is struggling to go by..."

"Like us," Alice replied.

The girls were silent, but the storm outside...was now silent. Rain became drizzle, tapping into the windows.

"Miho..."

Maho sniffed.

"Miho..."

Her eyes were wet.

"Miho...sister."

A single tear fell down.

All was still outside, as if the storm was listening. Suddenly, a single ray of light pierced the dark clouds, and it shone on a plain phone. It was an antique phone, a rotary dial telephone, black as the outside.

"Say," Alice said, looking at it. "Why is that phone here?"

"It is an old phone," Maho replied. "But it turned out to be an original copy of an actual one. Now, although it is still on display, it is no longer valuable."

"Then why is it here?" Alice asked, curious.

"I don't know," Maho replied, sighing. "And I don't care. All I care is hearing her voice again."

 _Ring..._

Both girls jumped with a start, turning to stare at it.

"Wait a second!" Alice spoke. "It-it-did it ring?"

The girls stared at it.

 _Ring..._

"It's working?!" Maho asked, aghast as she got up to look more closely. Alice stood up and followed.

 _Ring..._

The light continued to shine, brighter and brighter. The lone light pierced the dark, black sky outside. The light looked so golden, so pleasant, so holy.

 _Ring..._

The two then looked at each other, slightly puzzled.

"What should we do?" Alice asked, shaking a little.

 _Ring..._

Maho breathed, got up, and slowly took up the phone.

"Moshi-moshi?" she asked.

Then, she heard something that made her heart skip a beat.

"Onee-chan!" a sweet voice echoed. "I have found you!"

* * *

 **Finally, it's here. The official, massive REVISION of my older stories.**

 **I give a shout-out to der Jagdexperte for his clarification on the term "reboot." Since the terminology has a potential to be confusing, I decide to change that. I originally intended for this story to be a "remake" or "reboot," but since those words can be confusing, I decide to replace it. Thank you for your advice.**

 **I also give a shout-out to** **Ghost recon-Bryan Uzimaki and aGuestfromGreece45 for checking my chapter before publication. It was not easy, so thank you so much for your efforts!**

 **The main reason for doing this story was...because I realize that I made a few crucial mistakes in some of my previous stories:**

 **One, a good story does not need too many details. Two, a good story needs to focus on something; Anime Psychologist did this marvellously well, by focusing on a imagined but realistic portrayal of psychological distress. Last but not least, a good story does not need to tell about everything; a good story matters more than just making a colossal world. J.R.R. Tolkien, one of my favorite authors, did not even finish his worldbuilding before passing away. I want to build a world that is comprehensive, but not excessively so.**

 **Hence, I intend to write a story that is comprehensive, like "Girls Wild Rise," but still focused on specific themes, like Anime Psychologist's story.**

* * *

 **NEW UPDATE: Saudi Arabia has recently lifted its ban on women driving (in June 2018), thus allowing them to drive cars. However, I don't know whether that lifting also includes driving a tank in GuP.**

* * *

 **So, please review, PM, like, follow, or whatever you can, so that I can learn to hone and be an actually better writer.**

 **Thank you, and may God bless all of you, and panzer vor.**


	2. Chapter 2: The Waiting

**Previously...**

 **"Onee-chan..."**

* * *

 **Rise of Senshazonia**

 **Chapter 2: The Waiting**

"Mi-Miho?!"

Maho exclaimed, shaking. She held the phone with her right hand, while leaning on a nearby chair with her left.

Alice gawked, shaking as she tried to stay standing. She soon fell down on her bench, clutching her doll tight. The room was eerily silent, as the single beam of light continued to shine on the antique phone, the outside storm calm and tranquil.

"Onee-chan..." a small, sweet voice echoed from the phone, sniffing audibly. "I-I miss you."

Maho said nothing, but tears streamed out of her eyes. Saying nothing, she sniffed...and sniffed...and sniffed.

"Oh...augh...ah..." Maho tried to speak, but she was crying hard. Tears muffled her speech, as she wiped her face again and again.

"I-is that..." Alice tried to speak, but her voice trailed off. Like Maho, she was in shock, no, double shock.

Shocked at hearing Miho's voice again.

Shocked at seeing Maho cry.

After what felt like minutes of crying, Maho managed to stifle her tears.

"Mi-Miho..." she finally spoke, sniffing.

"Onee-chan..."

"Miho."

"Onee-chan."

"Miho..."

Two, no, three cries echoed throughout the room, as the room suddenly felt so much more peaceful. Previously, it was empty and gloomy, with the storm brewing outside. Now, it felt so...joyful.

Suddenly, Miho and Maho both giggled, catching Alice off guard.

"Ano..." Alice tried to interject, blinking in surprise.

"Sorry," Maho said, wiping away her tears. "It-it felt so good to hear you again. It was so empty, so lonely...even with...well, Miho."

"Hai?"

"Shimada-is here, too."

"Alice-san!" Miho's voice squealed with delight, as Maho handed Alice the handset.

"Miho-san!" she replied, starting to cry herself. "I am glad that you're alive!"

"Th-thank you!"

For a few minutes, Maho and Alice changed their hands back and forth, sharing the handset. All three girls talked with each other, rambling on about all kinds of topic, momentarily oblivious to their situation at hand. Crying, giggling, laughing, even joking. At the end of the day, they were, and are, still girls at heart.

"Ah..." all three sighed in relief, once they finally stopped talking about random stuff. Then, they all giggled together, and laughed out loud.

"Oh boy," Alice squeaked. "I haven't laughed this loud for a while."

"Glad to hear you fine," Maho said. However, she hesitated at what she wanted to say.

"A-ano..." she mumbled.

"Onee-chan?"

"..."

She was not sure. After talking so casually and so happily, Maho did not want to ruin the mood. She was not alone; Alice sensed what she was about to say, but understood her hesitance. They did not want to ruin the delightful atmosphere, as if they wanted to keep everything as happy as it was.

Well, they were not alone.

"Onee-chan..." Miho said. "Are you curious about the others?"

Maho gulped.

Suddenly, Miho giggled.

"They're all alive; everyone's alive and well here!"

Maho and Alice both gave out a HUGE sigh of relief. Maho made a "yes" gesture.

"I-I was afraid to ask!" Maho gasped. "I-I guess I feared the worst."

Miho giggled from the handset.

"Thanks," she replied.

"Miho," Maho said, clearing her throat to ask in a more serious tone. "What really happened?"

After a while, Miho audibly sighed.

"The Apocalypse?"

The two girls in the room nodded grimly.

"It happened so fast," Miho said, giggling nervously. "I mean..."

"I know," the other two replied, remembering only a little...

* * *

 **40 days ago...**

 **São Paulo, Brazil**

 **9:30 AM; January 13, 20XX**

"Isn't today so weird?"

Miho giggled nervously, as she and a few girls watched from a cruise liner. They were now in Brazil, in one of the most famous cities of all: São Paulo. The bright, clean-looking city dazzled her with its lights, shining brightly above the forests below. She gazed at the city in awe, amazed by its splendor.

Yet Miho felt something...odd.

"It is odd," a tall girl with long, black hair admitted, as she stood alongside Miho. Both were watching from the front deck, along with three others.

"And did you say something?" the same girl asked Miho.

"Huh?" Miho asked, who already lost her train of thought. Whatever she felt a few seconds ago, she forgot. She frowned, trying to remember.

"I can't remember it," she mumbled. "I-"

"Nishizumi-dono!" a girl with fluffy, messy hair squealed, coming up the stairs. "At least we're invited by the President herself!"

"You said that so many times already," Miho said, giggling nervously. "It's not the US President, but she's still significant."

"The President is a female!" a girl with orangish hair sighed, coming behind. "I was expecting a handsome hottie."

Miho giggled nervously again.

"This place is hot," a lazy girl sarcastically remarked, limping up the stairs. "And hottie should be 'cold' for crying out loud."

"Girls!" Miho said, trying to calm the ensuing outburst. "We're all here to help the President out! Hana-san, Yukari-san, Saori-san, and Mako-san, we're not really here to meet the President casually; the letter did tell that she wanted us to help her out."

"That is why," Hana noted, thinking. "But...why of all the nations, us?"

"You mean why Japan?" asked Mako. "And not Germany, UK, or even the US?"

"Yeah."

The girls were quiet for a moment.

"We have an idea."

The others turned around.

"Oh!" Miho said, as she saw her old friends from the other schools.

Multiple girls approached them, in small but distinct groups. One group calmly marched up the stairs, drinking from teacups in a coordinated fashion. One group, however, casually and passionately climbed up the stairs after them, more like "jumping" rather than "walking" up the stairs; most of them were munching on hot dogs and popcorn. The next group came up, impulsively climbing up the stairs with plates of pasta and pizza in hand. The next group was quite stern and diverse, especially in terms of height; the tallest of them was carrying the shortest piggyback.

"Wow!" Miho said. "Darjeeling-san! Kay-san! Anchovy-san and Katyusha-san!"

"This is a nice place," Darjeeling noted, standing alongside Miho, sipping her tea. "I heard that there are a few British here."

"I don't know much about this place," Kay casually remarked, smiling as she leaned on the fence. "But it sure looks fun!"

"Careful!" one of her peers hissed. "Kay, this place is infamous for its muggers and low-key criminals! Just be careful!"

"Oh?" Kay asked innocently. "You didn't tell me this before."

"You were too busy packing up stuff!" the girl who spoke groaned, scratching her reddish hair, tied into small ponytails.

"Why don't you just speak?" a girl next to her mumbled, chewing gum.

"I heard that there are plenty of Italians here!" a girl with grayish-blond hair spoke, her drill ponytails flailing about. "This place must be cool!"

"Hmmph!" the short girl snorted, crossing her arms. "There aren't any Russians here!"

"There are," the tall girl calmly replied. "But some are Russians, while others are more of various backgrounds. Some are from Central Europe, which is close to Russia, while others are distinct, like Jews."

"Jews?" the short girl asked. "Who are they?"

"They are some group of ethno-religious people," Mako answered nonchalantly. "From what I know, they are from various backgrounds, mostly from Europe and the Middle East. They came to this area, in order to avoid persecution. Don't you know, Katyusha-san?"

"Don't judge me!" Katyusha retorted. "Katyusha knows everything, Makosha!"

"Makosha?" Mako's other friends asked.

"Much like calling me Mihosha?" Miho asked.

"Spot on!" Katyusha replied, flailing a little like an excited kid. "Clever girl! I shouldn't have underestimated you!"

"Katyusha," her piggyback partner replied, holding her tight. "Please be careful."

Miho giggled; her friends were all just like their usual selves. Like Ooarai, they were all invited, especially since the Winter Cup tournament. Darjeeling and her peers all sat down on a nearby table, preparing their plates and utensils for an afternoon tea. Kay and her buddies all were carrying a huge load of food. Anchovy and her comrades were trying to hold their platter carefully, while Katyusha and her girls stood by.

"Ano," a small girl, who was a little taller than Katyusha, spoke with a soft voice. "Where are the others?"

"Nina!" Katyusha retorted. "You forgot?"

"We're here."

The others turned around, as more girls climbed up the stairs. Some girls in black, shiny suits appeared, with distinct caps on top of their heads.

"Erika-san!" Miho replied.

She merely sighed.

"Well," she admitted. "At least Maho is here, but in a different boat."

"You have been talking about her for a while," Mako noted. "Do you miss her since she's in university?"

"Shu-shut up!" Erika retorted, blushing. "But at-at least we can say our moment of goodbye before she's actually in college for good!"

"Ah," a voice spoke, sighing. "The wonders of college-and no freedom."

A short girl with light blond hair groaned, dragging a taller girl with her redhead friend helping her out. The taller girl had a serene face, carrying a kantele and a distinct, white-and-blue hat on top of her head.

"The wind speaks," she replied.

"Will you stop talking about wind?!" Erika groaned, cupping her ears. "I am a little tired of your weird maxims and all!"

"Have you heard the saying?" Darjeeling interjected. "That 'I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.'"

"That's from Jimmy Dean," Orange Pekoe interpreted, sweating a little as Erika groaned audibly.

"The wind always blows," Mika said.

The others around them sweated a little.

"Yes it does," Darjeeling replied, causing Erika to moan.

"Are they friends?" Mako asked. "They have been talking about 'wind' and 'spirit' and...augh, I am tired."

"Cup of tea?" Darjeeling asked, holding out a teacup. Mika, who was subtly resisting the effort to climb up with her peers, suddenly walked, took the cup, and drank it in one gulp.

"Deal," she said. "The wind said it."

"Eh..." Miho trailed off, not understanding what was going on.

"Nona!" Katyusha said. "What are they talking about?"

"I have no idea," Nonna replied.

"Augh!" Erika began. "If that was crazy, then they will-"

"Nishizumi-san!" a huge voice roared, as a group of girls stampeded up the stairs, almost crashing into the other groups, although Alisa dropped her popcorn basket in surprise. Bits of popcorn littered the deck.

"Alisa-san!" Assam groaned. "This deck was clean a while ago!"

"Sorry!" she replied. "The Chi-Ha-Tan girls just stormed in here!"

"We'll help!" the leader of the new group immediately replied, picking up the popcorn. A few of her comrades picked some, blew on the morsels, and ate them.

"Eww!" a few girls groaned.

"Five-second rule!" one of them replied with a loud voice.

"Kinuyo-san!" Assam groaned. "Can you tell them that they can get sick from that?"

"Don't waste food!" Kinuyo commanded.

"Yes!" her comrades replied with a salute.

"That's not what I meant!" Assam groaned, while Darjeeling smiled behind. A girl from her group, with bright pink hair, smiled and got down to pick up the popcorn on the ground.

"Don't eat!" Assam rebuked, forcing her to just throw the food into a bin. "Rosehip! That's not ladylike."

"But isn't it a waste to throw away?" Rosehip asked.

Assam groaned and rolled her eyes, while others sweated in the background.

"Well," Miho said, trying to calm down the situation. "We are all safely here, with our tanks and all in the other.

"Yes!" the others replied.

They were all in the cruise liner, traveling in comfort. Nearby, their school ships loomed, trying to dock. Another ship was soon docking onshore, with tanks on top. As the girls talked on, Miho looked on, and gazed at the spectacle before them.

She sighed in relief.

"Say," Alisa said in the background. "I have always wondered why Momo led the team for the Cup, and not Miho."

"We did it for Kawashima-san," Saori replied. "She needed it, in order to get into college."

"Speaking of her," Kay interjected. "Where is she?" I've been trying to find her to cheer her up."

"She's sad?!" Alisa responded, aghast. "Why should SHE be sad?! The first to 'win' the Winter Cup in 20 years or so, and she's _crying_?!"

"A weird response!" Kinuyo replied. "To the greatest win of the winter season!"

"Yes!" her group agreed.

"The wind is sometimes moody," Mika replied, playing on her kantele.

"Nonna!" Katyusha replied. "Can you interpret what that thief-girl is saying?!"

"I know not," she replied. "And plus, I am not sure where Kawashima-san is, either."

"Isn't she supposed to be happy, though?" Erika asked. "That she won the Winter Cup?"

"She's still crying," Saori sighed. "I guess all that stress got into her head."

"Boy," Alisa groaned. "A weird girl; she won, but she's still crying."

"Indeed," the others replied in agreement.

"But at least she's with her team," Miho said, giggling. "At least the Winter Cup was great."

* * *

 **Back to the museum room**

 **Tokyo, Japan**

 **6:30 AM; February 22, 20XX**

"The Winter Cup," Maho interjected. "Apparently, everybody did quite well. Erika impressed me, by being able to pull her teams together. She finally found her way of Senshadou, just as you did."

"Ah!" Miho said. "Yes, we are all alive so far, but we got separated."

"You what?!" the two girls gasped.

"When the meteors fell," Miho explained. "Everything was chaos, as we all were struggling to return to our school ships."

"Yeah..." the girls mumbled.

"So," Miho said. "Speaking of that Apocalypse, what exactly happened?"

"What do you know?" asked Maho.

"I know a little..." she replied, trying to remember...

* * *

 _"Miho!" some voices shrieked, drowned out by the roars of crowds, as they smashed into the tanks, causing most to shake under the waves of human bodies. While the larger ones just shrugged off the blows, others were less fortunate. Anzio's tankettes easily turned over, as the crowds ignored the girls inside of them. Worst of all, one of the waves successfully overturned the Type 89 I-Go, and a few of the Chi-Ha-Tan's tanks as well._

 _"What is going on?!" Saori screamed, holding her head._

 _"I don't know!"_

 _"What the-"_

 _"No!"_

 _"I wanna go home!"_

 _"Explosions?!"_

 _"NO!"_

 _Miho sweated, as she got out of her cupola, standing on top. Another wave struck her tank, causing it to shake. However, Miho stood her ground._

 _"Miho!" Kay's voice echoed from the headphone on her neck, which Miho kept on._

 _"What's going on?" Miho asked, as calmly as possible._

 _"I just got reports from the US base here!" she shrieked. "Apparently, they detected some meteors falling down, and tried to stop the Parade!"_

 _"What happened?"_

 _"The stupid President!" Kay roared. "They warned her an hour ago!"_

 _"What?!" Miho heard multiple girls' voices screamed._

 _"And?" Miho asked calmly, although her forehead had sweats all over._

 _"And she chose to continue the Parade!" Kay retorted._

 _"What?!" others replied, this time joined by Miho._

 _"What happened?"_

 _"How did it!"_

 _"How dare she!"_

 _"I want to go home!"_

 _"Girls!" Miho tried to calm her teams down. "Please!"_

* * *

"That stupid President," Maho growled, cutting off the flashback. "She WAS warned about this."

She gripped the handset tight, while her left free hand was clenched into a fist.

"But I don't get it," Miho's voice echoed. "Why did she continue the Parade, despite the warning?"

"It's complicated," Maho admitted. "Some kind of financial misconduct, such as bribery. She made the final call, in order to advertise our Senshadou to make more money or something like that."

She said the last sentence with an audible growl.

"What?" Miho asked, surprised. "But how, and why?"

"Yes it's complicated," Maho spoke, gritting her teeth. "It's not wrong to make money, but was that worth it?"

"I-I guess that after Ooarai's upset win," Alice interjected. "The Brazilian President took note, and one of the advisors talked about introducing Senshadou into Brazil, in hopes of helping the economy to recover."

"And the entire nation is down," Maho retorted. "Now, the government is in exile, at the mercy of the US, as the government and its tiny remnant are now located in Florida."

"Florida?" Miho asked.

"Just as many Cubans fled their country," Maho explained. "So many Brazilians who managed to escape fled with the government into Florida. Now, the President is under house arrest, awaiting trial."

"She's under arrest?" Miho gasped.

"Ah," Maho replied. "You're stuck in there, so you haven't heard...due to the communications being blocked."

"Yes," Miho replied. "But what really happened to her?"

"Apparently," Alice answered. "The President of Brazil chose to escape as soon as possible, rather than stay behind a little to help direct the rescue efforts. One of the cruise liners suddenly sank, but instead of helping that out, she continued to flee."

"Forcing us all," Maho retorted. "To stay behind to help out, only for most of us to get stuck..."

* * *

 _"I am NOT leaving my friends behind!"_

 _Maho remembered herself roaring, as she struggled free from a rescue squad. Running towards a group of Kuromorimine girls, she helped them to carry their injured ones as much as possible._

 _It was mayhem, as most of the girls were helping others to escape. While some ships, such as cruise liners were overcrowded and tried to move away, the ships of the Senshadou girls stayed onshore, helping the girls to rescue as many girls as possible._

 _"Where is Miho?" Maho roared._

 _"There!" one of them pointed._

 _She looked. Not far away, a group of girls in green-and-white uniforms were struggling to help out a few girls, all of whom looked injured. The injured girls all wore blue jackets, which Maho recognized._

 _"BC Freedom!" Maho shouted, as she broke free from another grip, as her rescuers were trying to rescue her. "Let go! I am not VIP; we're ALL VIPs!"_

 _She broke free, wincing as the grip was stronger than the previous one. She ran towards the girls, and saw them all._

 _Slightly bloody, both Ooarai and BC Freedom._

 _Slightly bruised, from the stampedes of the crowds before._

 _Slightly in pain, as they were panting hard._

 _"Miho!" Maho cried out, spotting her carrying a girl on her back. "You alright?"_

 _"I am fine!" she answered. "But Eclair-san is in trouble!"_

 _"Eclair?!" Maho reacted with shock, helping her out with the weight. "But I thought they weren't here?"_

 _"We were..." Eclair moaned. "Invited later."_

 _"What?!" Miho asked. "But you said that you were all tourists here?"_

 _"That stupid President," Eclair groaned. "She invited both of us, but said that only one '_ French-themed' _school can be represented in the parade."_

 _"But why you're here?!" the two sisters asked, helping her out. They all knew that BC Freedom was in the Parade, but they were unaware of the Maginot Girls' Academy being even invited. In fact, they were NOT even mentioned in the Parade booklets; other schools, such as the Blue Division High School and Count High School, were mentioned but not in the Parade._

 _"Corruption," she mumbled._

 _"What?" Maho asked._

 _"Stay still!" Miho replied. "You're panting hard! We'll help you!"_

 _Maho and Miho both dragged her along, while the others helped to carry the injured of all kinds, mostly from both BC Freedom and Maginot. Meanwhile, the crowds all around them were stampeding, trying to flee away from the blasts of the meteors miles away. Already, the sky was dark and dreary, and the girls felt some weird ashes falling down from the clouds above._

 _"I need to tell you all quick," Eclair replied, panting. "I-I heard-augh!"_

 _She clenched her stomach tight, moaning in pain._

 _"Hold it!" Maho commanded. "We'll talk once we get onboard!"_

 _They finally reached the BC Freedom's school ship, and they were all trying to drag them into it._

 _"Where is your school ship?!" Maho asked._

 _"That's a part of the reason I want to talk," Eclair mumbled._

 _"What?" Maho asked._

 _"Maho Nishizumi!" a voice roared, as two men suddenly appeared._

 _"What the-" a few girls got cut off, as the two rudely pushed them out of the way, causing them to fall down and cry in pain._

 _The two sisters stared at them in horror._

 _They were soldiers, but unlike anything they had ever seen before. They were apparently in some kind of a strange, mechanical body-suit, so that they were at least 240 cm (or eight feet) tall. The armor covered the entire bodies, so that even the head was hidden, covered by a helmet that looked more like that of an astronaut's suit._

 _They looked more like soldiers from a science fiction movie, rather than from an actual military force._

 _"Who are you?" Maho roared._

 _"You're coming with us!" they merely roared, pushing other girls, and one of them grabbed her._

 _"Let go!" Maho roared, but the man's grips were hard, as he was holding her with colossal gauntlets, almost the size of her head. He grunted, putting her over his right shoulder._

 _"Miho!" she screamed._

 _"Onee-chan!" Miho called back, still dragging Eclair._

 _"Get my sister!" she roared._

 _"VIP first," they mumbled monotonously._

 _"But she's VIP too!" Maho roared._

 _They said nothing, but marched on, ignoring her pleas and cries, while the girls were left behind._

* * *

"THOSE STUPID...augh!" Maho roared. "I've been worried sick about you all too! They did not even save you, and they said about 'heirs are of top priority' and all that trash!"

"Yeah," Alice agreed. "They dragged me out, although they took off before me and my vice commanders realized what was happening."

"Did you?" Miho asked.

"Yes," the two girls nodded grimly.

"I told my mom," Alice said. "And she was quite angry, and reported to the authorities. She's been trying to find out why."

"I told our mom," Maho replied. "And she was...beyond furious."

Miho audibly gasped from the phone.

"She made so many threats and all," Maho replied. "That she successfully got the information that she wanted. It was little, but it gave us plenty of suspicions."

"What happened?" Miho asked.

"From what we know," she replied. "Alice and I pieced together what little we know, since our mothers openly told us everything that they have managed to glean. Apparently, everything that they heard was classified, but they managed to get a little. From that, we know that: 1) The Apocalypse that struck Brazil affected the entire continent of South America, plus Central America, and much of the Caribbean and southern Mexico. 2) Some weird clouds are covering the entire areas affected, which are baffling scientists, as most of them are NOT from volcanoes. And 3) That whole area is quarantined and off-limits."

"But the news reports say nothing about that," Alice replied. "All they report is some 'epidemic' and using that to cover up some stuff."

"Let's get to the point," Maho said, cutting off Alice. "Both of us really want to know one thing: What really happened? The meteors and the so-called rescue and President leaving HER entire nation behind to save herself and her government?!"

It was silent in the room, while the outside was starting to roar with some thunder in the distance.

Miho made a sound, getting the two girls' attention.

"You alright?" Maho asked, her voice losing its anger, and filled with compassion and softness.

"There is one answer," she admitted. "But you all will be confused if I say so. It is both simple yet confusing at the same time."

"Go on," both girls replied.

"Everything we said," Miho explained. "The cover-up of the whole thing, the mysterious clouds that cover the areas of South America and all, the 'rescuers' who saved you and all, they are all intertwined."

"Huh?"

"Plus," Miho continued. "There is a reason why they did so, and they are all intertwined. The President's sudden departure, ignoring the warning, the strange invitation, and above all, the fact that you all can use this telephone."

"Oh yeah!" the two gasped. They were too overwhelmed with emotion to realize perhaps the strangest of all.

"Miho-san!" Alice said. "You're right! This is an old phone! There is no way it can be connected to you!"

"And we're in Japan!" Maho declared. "Inside of a museum, far away from South America, with no way to communicate! So, the same 'thing' behind the so-called rescue, without saving you, has to do with this phone working?"

"Yes," Miho said. "It's really, REALLY hard to explain, because it's something that none of us will be used to. Senshadou never taught us this; even our shrines don't really teach us this."

"Huh?"

Miho audibly breathed in...and out.

"Just say it," Maho said, encouraging her. "We'll understand."

"I don't think you will," Miho admitted. "It explains for everything, from the Apocalypse to us stranded here, and the phone working."

"Go on."

Miho sighed again.

"It's all due to magic."

* * *

 **Same space**

 **Tokyo, Japan**

 **7:00 PM; February 22, 20XX**

The storm outside stopped roaring, but a strange calm filled the air, both in and outside of the room. Although the clouds were dark and gray, the single ray of light still shone down upon the antique phone. The two girls in the room were silent, stunned by the last word.

"Ehehehe..." Miho's voice audibly giggled nervously.

"What..." Maho blinked, trying to make a sentence. However, her shock was greater than her sense of reason.

"Ano..." Alice also tried to speak, but was baffled.

"I am not kidding," Miho said. "I am going to try and explain as much as I can, but long story short, Latin America, the areas of South America, Central America, the Caribbean, and southern Mexico...all those areas are covered by some strange storm clouds. They not only disrupt communications, but also strike down any airplane. To make matters worse, the seas are also too dangerous, with tsunamis and all whenever a ship tries to enter. Oh yeah, the clouds do NOT prevent sunlight; in fact, they are not really clouds, although I am not really sure what they are."

"That...that explains for the lack of connection," Maho said, trying to calm down. "But...what does 'magic' have to do with this?"

"It's hard to explain," began Miho. "But I-"

 _Bzzzttt!_

 _Click._

"Miho?" Maho asked, as the phone went suddenly dead. "Miho? Miho? MIHO!?"

Maho kept calling into the phone, and the ray of light was gone. The two girls stood still, as the phone line was dead. The room started to feel cold again, while the storm outside started to roar, and a drizzle fell down, tapping into the windows lightly.

"No," she moaned. "No...no-no-NO!"

Maho shook, as she cried. Alice sniffed, and cried with her, hugging her doll tight.

They were so close. After so long, hearing her voice was amazing, even rejuvenating. Now, her voice was suddenly cut off, suddenly gone.

Maho shook, then threw the handset down into the antique phone. The handset shook, before sitting down in the holder. Maho then sat down, hands over her face. Tears streamed down from behind.

Alice said nothing, but sat down as well, crying into her doll. The doll's head was wet.

The two were silent for a few seconds, the revelation hitting them hard.

"No!" Maho shouted. "What just-"

 _Ring-_

"Miho!?" Maho called out. The moment it rang, she sprang up and took the phone up. Alice also joined in.

"Miho?!"

"So-sorry!" Miho's voice rang out once more, calming all of them down. "The-the magic here is starting to lose out! This is a weird shrine that somehow overrides the communications jam caused by the storm! We have to move!"

"What?" the girls asked.

"There is another shrine to use!" Miho called quickly. "It takes about 40 days for that to work! Plus, we're moving around, trying to escape from some enemies!"

"Who?" Maho asked, then shook herself. "No, Miho! Focus on surviving, and try and activate that shrine-thing! We'll try and be back!"

"I know that it will be about 40 days from now!" Miho called out. "Or earlier; it may take shorter, so be back!"

"We'll be back!" both Alice and Maho shouted, tears falling down.

"And please be careful out there!" Maho screamed.

"I love you!" Miho's voice echoed, as it started to go static. "Onee-chan!"

"I love you!" Maho cried out.

"And one more thing!" Miho called out. "Eclair told me something, and you must not tell the Ja-"

 _Bzzzttt!_

 _Click._

"Miho?" Alice asked, as the phone went dead. "Miho?!"

Maho stood still, as the static echoed from the handset. They waited for a while. Then, Maho slowly put down the handset back. This time, she was calm and serious, not crying like before.

"She'll be back," she curtly replied. "I am glad to hear her while we can."

"She got cut off in the last part," Alice said. "She must be warning us not to tell...something."

"I assume that she's talking about the Japanese government," Maho replied. "That's the only logical choice."

She then turned around to get out, then looked back. The black, antique phone was still there, rusty as before. However, it looked cleaner, shining a little brightly, as a single ray of light shone down upon it, although it was paler than before.

"Miho," Maho said. "We'll be careful, and we'll be back."

"Me too," Alice said to the phone.

The two then started to walk out, but Maho stopped. She walked back towards the phone, and took something out of her bag. She then wiped the phone clean, and the rusty surface was gone. It shone brightly in the single ray of light from the clouds outside.

"We'll be waiting," she replied. "We'll be waiting."

* * *

 **An unknown cave**

 **Somewhere in the eastern shores of Brazil**

 **7:00 AM; February 22, 20XX**

"Oh no..."

Miho gasped, as the shrine cracked. The shrine looked like a single, black obelisk, in the middle of a golden circle, with the floor having both reddish and pinkish hues. On top of the structure was what looked like an open lotus flower, except made of what looked like pink gems, the petals covered with golden edges.

The whole structure groaned, cracked, and then crumbled down, and all of the debris turned into a brownish-pink mass of stone.

"Did you warn her?" Saori cried out.

Behind, shots were ringing out, as explosions rocked here and there. The shrine was inside of a strange cave, as if somebody carved into it. There was a single opening, where a tank was blocking it. Her friends were onboard, firing into something in the distance.

"I told them everything I could!" Miho called out. "But I cannot explain everything. Plus, the shrine deactivated before I warned them fully!"

"Did you?" Mako cried, shaking as the gunfire continued to ring out. "Can we go now?"

"Wait!" Miho replied, as she climbed up the tank, and watched from the cupola.

Not far away, a group of tanks were firing into a crowd of people, who were all in a rampage, trying to strike the tanks. All of her Ooarai club's tanks were desperate, trying to repel the mob with everything they had: cannons and machine guns attached to their tanks. The people in the mob looked like humans. However, they looked as if they were...

"What happened to them?!" Azusa's voice screamed.

"They're rampaging like the Pickett's Charge!" Erwin's voice echoed.

"We're dying now!" Momo's voice wailed.

"Momo-chan!" Yuzu's voice groaned in the background, as the Hetzer fired into one part of the mob, causing a few of the "men" to fly out.

"They-they used something!" Mako stuttered.

"What did they use?!" Sodoko's voice echoed. "I saw up close; they're drugged!"

"Drugged?!" everybody gasped.

"What drugs did they use?!" Nekota's voice wailed. "What happened to them?!"

"No wonder!" Nakajima's voice echoed, as her tank struggled to shrug off three men on top. However, they looked more like drugged beasts rather than mere men, as their clothing was torn into rags.

Shots rang out, as all three were blasted away, as a speedy tank fled by.

"More are coming!" Noriko's voice boomed. "And I lost sight of Shark Team!"

"No!" Momo wailed. "Shark Team!"

"Hold your head please!" Yuzu's voice echoed, as Momo's cries echoed from Miho's headset.

"Go-go!" Miho called out to all of them. "We have to move out fast!"

All of the tanks in her group obeyed, and her tank moved down towards a wide. It was wide enough for all tanks to enter; however, it also meant that they had to go in one direction. Behind, the horde continued to follow, charging at them like hungry predators.

"Unfortunately," Miho said, as she got into her seat. "The shrine cut me off before I warned about the Japanese government AND the UN!"

"Of course!" Saori groaned. "Those communications shrines are not always reliable in the first time!"

"At least," Yukari said, loading a shell. "You managed to talk to them!"

Miho nodded grimly, but smiled.

"We have one more!" Miho said. "But we have to leave before these...salvajes get us! So move-move!"

The tanks continued to drive through the ravine, shooting behind. The mob continued to grow larger and larger, and the distance between them grew shorter and shorter.

"Oh no!" Azusa's voice shrieked. "Look!"

The others looked in front, and gasped.

It was a dead end; a deep river blocked the view.

"We're done for!" Momo's voice boomed.

"No!" Miho called out. "Leopon Team! Charge your tank through!"

"Roger!" Nakajima's voice echoed, and the Porsche Tiger screamed, then charged into the river.

"It's shallow enough!" Miho called out, as she noticed the Porsche easily crossing across. "Let's go!"

All except the Anglerfish Team's tank drove through, still shooting at the mob behind.

"Are they even humans?" Miho noted. "Normally, I would hesitate to attack even a bad guy, but I can tell...that these guys are not...hum-"

"Watch out!" Akebi's voice suddenly shrieked from her headset.

She turned, but it was too late.

"Uf!" Miho grunted, as something slammed into her. A man was on top of her, pushing her arms back with his own. Gasping, she looked up, and saw his eyes.

"Cute girl," the man replied, licking his tongue. "I finally have gotten you."

Miho frowned, then said it.

"Hit it!"

Mako gulped, but pressed a button. The tank shook violently, throwing the man off guard. Unfortunately, it shook then something gave way. The whole tank started to groan. Then, something cracked.

"Oh no."

* * *

 **Oh no, this story is getting more interesting...**

 **Well, to be honest, this chapter was supposed to end earlier, but sometimes, a story can enter unexpected territories. Now, what will happen next? Tune in next time!**

 **Reviews, PMs, faves, and follows are appreciated. And this chapter will be edited, especially if there are any errors. If you see a grammatical error or something that needs to be fixed, then please PM me, so that I can fix it ASAP.**

 **Thank you for your patience, and may God bless, and panzer vor!**


	3. Chapter 3: A New Base

**Next chapter is finally out.**

 **I don't have much to say, and feel free to PM me if this requires major changes. I am still trying to revise and make sure that this story is worth the read.**

* * *

 **Rise of Senshazonia**

 **Chapter 3: A New Base**

 **Somewhere in the Cerrado, Brazil**

 **10:00 AM; February 22, 20XX**

"Miho!"

Multiple girls screamed, as the tank started to move with the currents, the raging river rising higher and higher. Miho quickly checked around, analyzing the estimate lengths of the river.

"Azusa!" she shouted out. "The ropes!"

"Ah!" the young girl remembered, pulling out a set of ropes. Erwin also came out with hers, and both threw their ropes at Miho as far as they could. Miho caught both, and tied them quickly unto her sinking tank.

"Sweet girl..." a sinister voice cracked, as two ragged hands clawed the tank's armor, trying to pull someone up.

Miho ignored the voice, although she kept her eyes up and vigilant, as she continued to tighten the ropes.

"It's like the tournament again," Azusa mumbled, as she watched her leader with anticipation. "And speaking of-Miho-san!"

Miho tightened a knot, then swung around in time to kick away the same man, who somehow managed to climb up the tank. The man stumbled, then twitched, growling with his weird smile, baring his teeth while his rags were swaying in the wind. She stared back with her piercing eyes.

"Now!" Miho screamed.

Saemonza took up her bow and fired. A single arrow easily struck the man's left shoulder, the iron point piercing the skin and rag. He stumbled, reeling in pain. Roaring, he then charged, trying to grab Miho. She ducked away, and the man fell down into the raging river.

" _Eu vou te pegar!_ " the man roared, before getting swept by the currents.

"Let's hope that's the last we'll see him," groaned Saemonza. "And what was he saying?"

"He said: 'I will get you!'" Caesar replied.

"Eh?!" the others gawked.

"Caesar-san!" Karina squealed. "You can speak Italian?!"

"It's Portuguese," she corrected. "And no, I am not very good at Portuguese, better at Italian. I only know a little."

"Well," Miho said. "In a way, back in the ancient days, the Roman Empire occupied modern-day Italy _and_ Portugal."

"That's right!" Caesar replied, surprised. "I forgot about that!"

"Says the girl who is into Roman history," mumbled Mako, causing her to pout a little, like Saori.

However, the raging man soon caught a hanging branch in the distance, and climbed up slowly. Fortunately, he was on the other side of the river, so that the girls were safe from him, although he growled and cursed at them.

"He's safe," Miho said.

"Oh boy!" Saori groaned. "I hope we're not saying him, or others, again!"

They all looked on. The ropes prevented their tank from moving further, but on the other side, the men were furious, raging that their quarry were safely out of reach. Although the river drowned out their voices, the men were screaming all kinds of strange...words.

"I don't want to know what they're even saying," Saori said, making motions of clapping her ears shut.

"Pull!" Miho called. Nodding, the other tanks moved, pulling the ropes slowly but surely, as the Panzer IV slowly crawled towards the other shore.

"Pull harder!" Miho called out. "The torrent is getting stronger!"

She was right. The raging river started to flow faster.

"Water is starting to get in!" Saori shrieked.

"Please calm down!" Miho called. "We'll get out of here!"

After a few tense seconds, the tanks managed to drag the Anglerfish tank out, just as the torrent turned very violent. In fact, it was so brutal that it slammed even into the strange men on the other side, dragging some of them into the currents. Even the tanks were not spared, although they were strong enough to resist the flow.

"Move away from the river!" Miho called out. "And don't stop until I say so!"

The tanks all went up the embankment, as the river behind continued to rage and attempt to drag the tanks along. After moving a few hundred meters away on higher ground, Miho said the word.

"We're good," she said, and all of the girls finally came out of their tanks, most of them panting and gasping for breath.

"We almost lost you there!" Momo roared, who then hiccuped.

"They're fine," Anzu said, with a look of slight annoyance, as she slapped Momo hard to stop her hiccup. "It's Miho, after all."

After Momo managed to calm down, the girls then stretched and relaxed for a while.

"Boy," Erwin groaned. "I am tired after all that close calls and saves!"

She sat down with her Hippo Team, as they all decided to play a card game. The Rabbit Team joined in, while the Duck Team took out a variety of gym equipment, and started to train hard. The Anteater Team joined them in their grueling training regimes, although they soon got tired, except for the strength training part. The Leopon Team checked each tank, including that of the Anglerfish Team. The Anglerfish, Turtle, and Mallard teams all grouped together to discuss the matters at hand.

"We have to find the Shark Team!" Momo roared, causing the other teams to stare at her.

"Calm down!" Sodoko said, as she and her teammates restrained the crying and furious girl. "I know, but we have to focus on now!"

"She's right," Mako said. "What's done is done. We'll have to move on, and..."

"Hope for the best," Saori finished the sentence. "So yeah, what's next?"

"We'll have to set up a permanent base," Miho said. "Although we slept well and ate well enough, a permanent base, safe from the salvajes and all, will really help with our morale."

She was right. Although all of the girls were still in good spirits, they were starting to feel down more and more. With each passing day, the lack of a proper camp, such as having to sleep in their own tanks, was starting to take a toil.

"But where should we go?" Saori asked.

"We know where we are," Miho said, taking out a few maps. "From this one, we're on the right path towards the other communications altar, which is what we need."

"Ah," Anzu said, nibbling on her piece of sweet potato. "We're only a few miles away up north."

"Good thing!" Momo groaned. "Let's go then!"

"Wait," Miho said. "Nakajima!"

A girl with short, dark-brown hair came over.

"Nishizumi-san?" she asked.

"How is our tank?"

"Good news!" she declared. "Your tank's engine, wheels, and tracks are all perfectly fine."

"And bad news?"

Nakajima's face lost its smile, as she sighed.

"Your turret," she replied.

"Totaled?"

She silently nodded.

"Oh my," Hana said, shaking a little. "Does that mean...we cannot fire it?"

"Only the machine gun," Nakajima replied. "Maybe not, because it's in a coaxial mount, so that even it looks like it cannot fire."

"Oh, boo..." Yukari groaned. "Now, our tank is just an APC."

"APC?" asked Saori.

"Armored personnel carrier," Miho explained. "It is a troop carrier vehicle, designed like a bus or taxi, except to transport soldiers directly into battle."

"But ours has a gun still," Hana said. "But a smaller kind."

"Remember that it may be disabled too?" Yukari asked rhetorically.

"Ah," Hana said, sighing a little. "I will miss that feeling..."

"Augh!" Momo roared out loud suddenly, causing a few of the girls to jump. "We've been just getting away from crazies and druggies and all kinds of crazy people! Surviving and running, surviving and running, surviving-augh!"

"Calm down," Miho said. Her voice finally soothed her, as the poor girl sniffed, wiping her monocle.

"So-sorry," she moaned. "Ni-Nishizumi-san, I apologize...Bu-but, I want to go home! After winning the Winter Cup and all! Now, we're stuck here?!"

"Calm down," Anzu said, munching on the last bits of her dried sweet potatoes. "It's at least a good thing that Nishizumi-san knows a little about this place."

The others nodded in agreement, causing Miho to blush a little.

"You're the only one who visited South America before!" Saori said. "When we first learned about that back at the warehouse, I was amazed!"

"It-it was a sort of vacation," Miho said. "Okaa-san and our whole family decided to visit Brazil long ago, since it was a nice place to visit. Plus, okaa-san said that she felt unsafe about the US, with the school shootings and all."

"Only to discover that Brazil is even worse," Mako interjected, causing even Miho to nod in sad agreement.

"To be honest," Miho said. "I have a feeling that there was something...odd, about our visit."

"Eh?"

"Nevermind," Miho said. "I-I cannot remember it well, since it was so long ago. But Brazil has a large Japanese population, but now that everything is in ruins, we'll have to keep moving forward."

"To where?!" Momo complained.

"Remember?" Miho replied. "The nearest communications altar that we've found a few days ago?"

"Ah," Momo realized. "Sorry."

"But I have to admit," Miho said. "After the Apocalypse occurred, all those strange altars suddenly popped out. We've been using them with various degrees of success, but overall, we've been improving."

"But how and why are they here?" asked Azusa, as she joined in. The other teammates, hers and others, also followed suit, interested in the discussion.

"I honestly do not know," Miho answered. "But since I was able to contact with my family, it makes sense that the altars serve a function. We'll discuss what they are, once we find a permanent base."

"Permanent base..." many girls noted. Some of them groaned, while others sniffed audibly.

They were indeed tired. They were tired not from lack of food, or even moving around. They just wanted a sense of...permanence. After wandering around, looting and running, looting and running, the girls, used to a life of comfort onboard their ship, just wanted a place to finally settle down.

"It's always been like that," Anzu admitted. "For 40 days in a row, we've been just focused on survival: looting stores, warehouses etc. and fighting against other people."

"Good thing we had tanks," said Erwin. "Or else...we will die easily here."

The others nodded.

"But what happened?" moaned Momo. "Other than that, everything happened so fast, that it's hard to remember!"

She wailed aloud.

"Calm down," Yuzu said. "Or I will grumble and stop talking to you."

"No!" Momo groaned. "Please, stay here with us!"

"Ehehe," Miho giggled nervously. "But you're right; we don't really know what happened, other than that the meteors fell down, earthquakes occurred, and strange clouds appeared out of nowhere."

"And now," Mako said. "We're just trying to scrape by. Man, I want to eat desserts."

"Mako!" Saori chastised her. "Rethink your priorities, for crying out loud!"

"However," Miho said. "What is past is past. Let's move on; we need to find that next communications altar, fast."

Nodding, they all repacked their belongings, prepared their tanks, and moved on. Rolling along, they traversed through a variety of herbs, grasses, shrubs, and trees. Although their tanks easily plowed through, some of the vines and branches lodged into the tracks, forcing some of the girls to get out and untangle them.

"Augh!" a few girls grunted, ripping out the vegetation.

"I know that it's hard," Miho said, as she cut a thick mass of vegetation with her gardening shears. "But let's keep calm and get out of this mess."

Encouraged, the other girls stopped complaining and started to speed their efforts. After what felt like a few hours, the girls finally got out, and traversed through easier plains.

"At least," Saori said, trying to lift up the mood further. "We did save others."

Miho's face shone.

"Yes," she admitted, as she turned on her radio. "Girls, thank you for all your hard work. Not only did we all survive and live for another day, but also that we have managed to help others out."

"You mean the other tanks?" asked Yuuki's voice.

"Yes," Miho declared. "Remember that we used an altar to communicate? We learned that all other girls are alive and well."

"Yes," many girls sighed in relief.

She was right. Almost 40 days ago, the girls were struggling to help evacuate not only the Maginot girls, but also other schools as well. After the sudden fissure and other disasters, the Ooarai girls were forced to separate, and after a while, the Shark Team got separated as well. Not long after, the girls stumbled upon what they now knew as the communications altar, with which they found out that all other girls were alive and well, only for the altar to crack and dissipate.

"I don't know how or why the altars are there," Yukari said. "But at least they served a good purpose."

Miho nodded.

"We'll discuss more," Miho said. "Once we find a good place to settle down. All this moving around...is starting to get to me, too."

The tanks continued to march on, as Miho and the others surveyed their surroundings.

 _That was indeed weird_ , Miho thought as she watched around. _One moment we're struggling to help others evacuate, the next moment we're separated and fighting to survive. Although we have not killed anyone, not even the..._

She shivered. The salvajes, despite being supposedly human, did not even act human. However, she refused to kill any of them, even commanding her friends to merely wound them, not kill anyone. That was why Saemonza shot the man in the shoulder, instead of directly at the heart; she was obeying Miho's order to "never kill."

 _I don't know how to deal with blood on my hands_ , Miho thought. _At least my friends honor that, even when one of the salvajes tried to attack me. Good thing that nothing bad happened so far. But..._

Shaking her head, she then focused on searching for the location of one of the altars. The communications altars, a name that they came up with, all looked rather like obelisks with flower-like discs on top. They looked almost comical, with some weird colors, but they allowed the girls to communicate. With what little they could talk, the girls really appreciated that they were all safe and sound. The last contact was no exception.

"Onee-chan," Miho sniffed. "Thanks for being alive."

"Hopefully we can get out of this mess," Saori said, overhearing her monologue.

"Thanks," Miho replied. "Ah, there it is!"

The tanks stopped, and they all recognized the landscape. Although it looked like patches of forests and grasses, two distinctly large trees made a partial arch over a well-hidden dirt road.

"Yes!" the girls shouted in delight, and they drove their tanks onwards.

"Good thing we found this thing," Yukari noted, as their tank moved on.

"Yes," Miho said, nodding. "We kept this place as hidden as hidden as possible."

However, as they moved closer, the first few tanks suddenly lurched to a stop.

"Are you alright?" Miho began. "Why did you...oh no."

* * *

 **Somewhere in the middle of the Cerrado, Brazil**

 **12:00 PM; February 22, 20XX**

"I am so sorry," Hana said in a sorrowful voice.

The girls stared at the site, aghast.

"The Salvajes," Yukari spoke in a low voice.

"Also known as the Selvagens," Caesar said.

Miho nodded in grim agreement. Only someone as horrific as the Selvagens would done such a thing; the whole altar was destroyed. Every brick of the obelisk-like structure, and the petal-like decoration, was crushed and pulverized. A few blood spots hinted at the brutality of the salvajes, as their fists were punched to the point of being red.

"Wow," Nekota mumbled. "I-I have heard of Sa-Salvajes being so-so...savage, but thi-this unnecessarily violent?"

"How-how was this possible?!" Yukari wailed. "I-I thought that nobody will even know this place!"

"The Salvajes are so much like wandering savages," Sodoko said, shivering. "Boy, I don't want to be here!"

"Who are they really?" Hana wondered.

"Don't you know?" Sodoko moaned. "They look like humans, except drugged to the point of...ahem! I don't want to think about it."

"The important part," Mako said. "Is that we survive this."

"I want to go home!"

"Mommy!"

"Sniff-sniff!"

"Calm down!" Saori said, trying to cajole the younger girls, especially the Rabbit Team. "We'll be fine."

"We'll need to first settle down," Miho said, sighing. "Then, we can collect our thoughts about this. For now, we'll have to-"

 _Brrum..._

All of the girls stopped in their tracks, silent.

 _Brrum..._

"A car?" Saori whispered.

All of them slowly took out their weapons: knives, hammers, and even the occasional handguns. Miho wielded a handgun and a hunting knife.

"Good thing we looted these things," Yukari whispered, as she brandished her makeshift spear, a pole with a knife strapped to its point.

"Trivial," said Caesar, as she pointed her own spear. "But we'll stand our ground."

"That's right!" the other Hippo girls whispered, but a little too loudly.

 _Brrum..._

The girls stood still, tense. Miho looked down, and raised an eyebrow.

"Huh," she noted. "I see...some tracks from tires, but they are too small to belong to military jeeps."

Mako then looked down, and was puzzled too.

"They belong to some miniature car," she noted. "But why that kind?"

"What do you mean?" Sodoko asked.

"These tracks," Mako said, pointing down at the ground, as the others looked. "Belong to some type of a car, not a tank or something more...military-like."

"What do you mean?" asked Karina.

"I don't know," Mako replied.

"They appear," Miho began. "To be-"

 _Brrum...brum-brum-bzzz..._

The noise suddenly intensified, and something trampled through, no, mowed through a series of vegetation. After a few tense seconds, something popped out.

"Kawaii!" a few girls squealed, as what looked like a Volkswagen Beetle popped out. However, unlike the Beetle, it was covered in apparent armor of a grayish color, with military cameras on top of the hood. The cameras then whirled around, and one of them saw the girls.

"But what is that?" some of the girls asked.

"I don't...recognize that," Yukari admitted. "I am more into WWII-era stuff, and some modern-day warfare, but that..."

"Do you have any ideas?" asked Sodoko to others, especially at the Anglerfish Team.

"I...I don't really know," Mako admitted. "It looks like somebody has put armor on a small car."

The tiny car-like vehicle then rolled on. It traveled around the site, and approached the destroyed altar. Cameras on top scanned the site, as if analyzing the damage. It came across something, and the girls now saw that it was a giant battleaxe, although it looked extremely jagged and rough. Its cameras scanned it, then continued to check around. Suddenly, it stopped, as if sensing something. It turned its cameras slowly around, and saw the girls.

The girls stood tense. Miho, however, put her weapons back in, and the cameras focused on her. The cameras stared at her with its black lenses, while Miho stared back with her light brown eyes.

Both continued to stare for awhile. Then, it made a weird whistle, and backed out to move away. After a few meters, it stopped, turning its cameras around at the girls. It then made a shaking motion.

"I think," Miho said. "That it wants us to follow us."

"Eh?" Saori asked. "Can you really trust what looks like a robotic car or something?"

Miho then approached the car-like thing, which then closed in on her.

"Be careful!" a few of the girls whispered.

The two were now close enough, so that Miho slowly reached her left arm out, and touched it.

"The way she does that," Yukari whispered. "Is exactly the way she did back when we first found the Panzer IV!"

"You're right!" Saori said.

After a while, Miho gasped.

"It's a Guardium!"

"Eh?" the others asked, puzzled.

"Guardium!" Miho said, turning around with an excited face. "It's an unmanned ground vehicle, or UGV. The invention of the Israelite forces, it is a robotic car used for surveillance."

"I knew that it was a robotic car!" Saori declared, but others were more enthusiastic.

"Oh boy!" Yukari squealed. "A robotic car! It was real!"

"Wait a minute," Sodoko said. "You said that it's an Israeli vehicle, right?"

Miho nodded.

"Then," she said. "Why is it here?"

The girls were silent.

"Oh," Miho said. "Good question; I don't think that any Israeli embassy is nearby-"

The Guardium then gave her a nudge, its hood touching against her body.

"Ehehe," she giggled, petting it almost like a pet. "I think it's friendly."

"Umm," some of her friends objected. "It's a car, not a pet."

Nudging more, the Guardium then turned around and moved away. After a few hundred meters, the UGV then turned around, as if watching them.

"I guess that's the only way," Miho said. "You heard something about 'when life gives you lemon, make lemonade'? Well, if a robot is doing something, let's take the advantage."

The others, after a while, decided to obey, and all tanks followed the UGV. Of course, since Miho led the way, they decided to trust her.

"Where is it going?" Erwin asked.

"I have no idea," Anzu replied. "But at least something is better than nothing. After all, it took us a while to find this altar, so why not?"

After miles of following, the Guardium stopped, and the tanks all stopped. It then slowly crawled, and then turned around to nudge the Panzer IV's front.

"You alright?" Miho asked, getting out and coming down.

The Guardium then moved on, and Miho ran with it. Suddenly, both were on top of a hill, and she turned around to shout.

"We have found another altar!"

"Yeah!" the girls screamed in delight, revving their engines to move faster.

After coming up the hill, the girls sighted it.

"A torii shrine?" Hana asked.

In front of them was what looked like a stone arch, except polished and white. Around it was a single golden circle.

"Simpler than the communications altar," Sodoko noted. "Wait, is this a different altar?"

"It looks like the Arc de Triomphe of France," Erwin noted.

"Except stylized like a torii gate," Saemonza noted.

The girls disembarked and approached the gate. The Guardium suddenly became excited, whirling and buzzing along.

"What is it telling?" Hana asked.

Suddenly, it rammed a tiny, concrete-like pedestal nearby, which appeared to have a bump. The bump pressed in, and the arch pulsed with bluish-white energy. The girls instinctively stood back, and the gate's hole suddenly looked like the surface of an ocean.

"What does this altar do?" Karina asked, reaching out. Azusa pulled her back on impulse.

"Don't!" she whispered. "We don't know this one yet!"

The Guardium, however, moved up and entered the bluish wall. The girls blinked, and the Duck Team quickly sprinted to the back of the gate.

"There is nothing there!" Noriko shouted.

"Saori-san," Miho said. "What do you know about some video games?"

"Huh?"

"How do futuristic soldiers transport?"

"Umm," Saori replied. "They use advanced aircraft, advanced vehicles, and portal ga...oh."

"It's a portal altar," Miho then declared.

"Teleportation device?!" the girls shouted.

"I guess so," she began. "I guess we'll-"

Suddenly, the Guardium appeared, and next to it was a familiar figure, dressed in a flamboyant, pirate-like attire.

"Ogin!"

* * *

 **Kasikasima, Sipaliwini District, Suriname**

 **2:00 PM; February 22, 20XX**

"Thanks for standing watch," Miho said, while Momo cried in the background.

Ogin stood proudly.

"It's a pleasure," she replied. "I am doing it in order to see if Momo-chan was alive and all, but yeah, even I was hesitant when that car-thing appeared."

"Ah, I see," Miho said.

She sat with her team, the Turtle Team, and the Shark Team, as the others were checking the surroundings, while fixing up their tanks.

"To be honest," she said. "I am glad that you all are here, because my girls are having an issue with the..."

"Huh?"

"We're delinquents," she retorted. "Remember?"

"Ah!" Hana and Anzu both replied.

"There are other survivors?!" the girls asked, both surprised and glad.

"About 144 of us outside of Senshadou," she replied. "24 of them are delinquents, and they're not in the best of relations; they listen to me, but the 'normal' girls are afraid of me."

"We'll help you out," said Hana. "But remember: we better stick together."

"Oh boy," Ogin said. "I don't know how my girls will respond to that."

"Can I drink actual alcohol?" a chubby girl with pinkish afro moaned, looking a little drunk.

"Rum!" Sodoko growled. "We're high schoolgirls, not adults!

"Man!" a tall, robust girl with long, black hair grunted, flexing her biceps. "Why do I do all the hard work?"

"It's because you're strong," a very lanky girl with long, blondish hair said. "Murakami-san."

"Shut up," Murakami replied. "Flint-san."

"At least we have drinks," a girl with lazy eyes in a maid costume said.

"Can I have one?" Mako asked. "Cutlass-san?"

"By the way," Ogin said, as she and others got up to go to their base. "The base is this way, and can we just drop the honorifics? This is a brave new world, after all."

"Not a chance!" Sodoko retorted. "We're here to survive and get out of this forsaken continent!"

"But first," Miho said. "She's right; let's get to their base and see it from there.

The girls moved on, their tanks crushing through vegetation. While the Panzer IV, the Porsche Tiger, and some of the larger tanks were able to plow through easily, the others had a harder time, especially the Mark IV.

"Can we get a new tank?!" Rum groaned. "This tank is ridiculous in this rough terrain! Flint! Tell the Leopon girls to help fix this mess!"

"Mark IV is a World War ONE tank!" Nakajima's voice echoed.

"And don't you all like your old tank?" asked Yuuki's voice.

"Yeah..." all five girls replied.

Despite it being old and primitive, all five eventually became attached to the tank. Mark IV was definitely not the best tank to use, let alone even field in the Senshadou tournament. However, they scored a few critical shots that turned the tide in their quest to help Momo.

"I mean," Ogin admitted. "We hit them when they least expected it. It was big news, when we took down a single TIGER tank with this one!"

She grinned wide and proud.

"Oh boy," Saori groaned. "I remember seeing Erika's face. She was more than furious when that happened, even though it was not the flag tank."

"Ehehehe," Miho said. "Yes, we can chat and all, but let's get to the base first."

The girls agreed and moved. Although the Shark Team knew the way, their tank made a distinct path in the jungle, allowing them to follow the way back to the base easily. Furthermore, the Guardium was running ahead, so that it was easy to know where to go.

"Once we get there," Miho said. "Let us try and take a different route."

"Why?" some of them asked.

"The path here," she explained. "Is big and obvious. You don't want the salvajes to find us, don't you?"

Everybody, even the Shark Team, shivered and agreed.

"Yes," Ogin replied. "Say, what is that car-thing? It's weird and all, and it was the one that directed us into the altar-thing."

"It's a Guardium," Miho said.

"Guardium?" the Shark Team asked.

"A type of robotic car," she explained. "It is mostly used for patrol and surveillance by the Israel Defense Forces. But now that I say it, it's quite...independent for a Guardium."

"What do you mean?" some of them asked.

"How long was it here?" Miho asked Ogin.

"Been a few days," she replied. "Apparently, it was already here, because when we found our base, it already knew how to direct us."

"A sapient robot?" Mako inferred.

"It was a stupid robot," Ogin replied. "Apparently, it's looking for something, like a master of sort. It has been bugging us to help find another way, but due to being tired and all, we ignored it."

"We'll help," Miho said. "But first, we'll get to your base and-wow..."

The girls all stared up, awestruck.

The path led out of the jungle, and they witnessed a spectacle. High above the jungles below, groups of rocky formations rose, their titanic cliffs looming and ominous. Fogs covered certain areas, giving the area a mystical feel. Birds rose high above the clouds, giving this place a feeling of ancient beauty and wonders.

"It's beautiful," Hana said.

"Wait a minute," Miho said with the realization. "That's Kasikasima!"

"Kasikasisia?" the others asked. "Kashiwa? Kowashima?"

"Kasi-kasi-ma," Miho explained with a giggle. "It is a famous mountain in the Sipaliwini District of Suriname. Suriname is located above Brazil and the Amazon Basin."

"So we did teleport," Mako noted. "Wait, all the way from the Brazilian Highlands to here?"

The girls gasped in wonder.

"Good thing," Ogin said. "Or else we had to travel through...the largest rainforest in the world, with rivers and mud and all."

The girls sighed in deep relief, not wanting to think about that. The Guardium nudged her, and she smiled, petting it.

"Good girl," she replied.

"Girl?"

Miho shrugged.

"Let's get to the base," Ogin said, as the Guardium moved on. "And yeah...friends, we have an issue."

"What is it?" Miho asked.

"Well..." Ogin admitted. "We need some cleanup at camp."

"Oh boy," Sodoko groaned.

"Don't worry," Miho said with a smile. "We'll handle it, like always."

* * *

 **Camp with a communications altar**

 **Kasikasima, Sipaliwini District, Suriname**

 **9:00 AM; February 25, 20XX**

"It's been three days," Miho said. "But now, it feels like we're in Heaven, no joke."

Indeed, she was right. The girls arrived at the camp, and set about renovating it. Indeed, it took them hours, but helped to reconcile the difference between the "normal" Ooarai girls, and the Ooarai delinquents. Hana helped to regroup the former, while Ogin dealt with the latter. Ironically, it was Miho who helped the two to reconcile.

"You have a way of unifying peoples," Ogin remarked, as a well-groomed girl casually chats with a delinquent, who was dressed more raggedly.

"We all are good people after all," Miho said, waving her hands. "But I am amazed that we have representatives from all departments of our school."

After reconciling the two groups, Miho and her teams set about working to renovate the camp. Apparently, the camp was right next to the Kasikasima mountain, which meant that it was easy to climb up the cliffs. Since she and her teams were a part of the General Studies Department, they were the most flexible, and used their skills and knowledge to help make the camp a more habitable place. With help from the few girls of the Engineering Department, the girls quickly turned some of their metals and materials into living quarters, and all the amenities that they needed (and wanted, such as a hot spa). The girls of the Naval Studies Department helped out, while the Intelligence Department members climbed up the cliffs, acting as sentries on the lookout. Girls of the Operations, Nutritional Science, and Agricultural Science Departments quickly planted farms, just in case if they needed crops; at the same time, they went out to gather some wild food (with help from the Senshadou girls). The Hippo Team went down to a local river with the girls of the Fisheries Management Department, while the girls of the Fashion Design Department dealt with textiles and clothing.

"I am surprised to see this many girls here," Miho admitted. "It's good that we are all here; that way, it's easier to survive this."

"And is this altar-thing working?" Rum groaned not far away, as she and a few of the girls were trying to activate the altar. The obelisk structure with a flower-like disc on top was pulsing a little with some energy sparks.

"It is," Miho replied. "Just take your time with it; it will take days to work."

"It's been days already!" Rum groaned.

"Just listen to her," Ogin said with a calm but serious voice.

"Ai-ai, ca-captain!" she replied, visibly sweating. "Sorry!"

"It's alright," both Miho and Ogin replied, who then looked at each other.

"So yes," Yukari said, shuffling through her paperwork. "The Intelligence girls have given me some reports. From what they know, this area is full of numerous jungles, plains, rivers, and high-rise mountains."

"Some of those are plateaus," Miho said. "They're known as tepuis. They are the kind that I saw in many dinosaur shows."

"Oh!" Saori said, clapping her hands. "I remember those too! Oh, the old days of..."

The mood suddenly turned gloomy, as the realization of their situation dawned upon them.

"So-sorry!" Saori said, trying to lift up the mood. "At least all of us 144 girls and 37 Senshadou girls are alive and well!"

"So about this area," Mako said. "What is Kasikasima?"

"I have seen it only once," Miho admitted. "However, it looks more like a rock formation, which is true; this area is a part of the Guiana Shield, one of the oldest rock formations in the world."

"How ancient?" asked Hana.

"Since the Precambrian era," Miho replied.

"Precam...?" Hana asked, puzzled.

"The age before animals or even plants arose," Mako replied.

"Ah!" she replied. "Is that the time before life began?"

"Sort of," Mako replied.

"Anyway," Miho said. "I know that there is a lodge nearby this area."

"Yes!" Ogin replied. "We already looted it."

"Really?" the others asked.

"We found it while exploring this area," she replied. "Finding it abandoned, we then took everything that we needed, before settling at the foot of this mountain-thing."

"No wonder we have so many supplies," Saori noted.

As the girls were all discussing, the others were busy doing their own things. Miho showed the others that they all somehow could use something called "magic."

"Not easy to teach them," Miho admitted. "It's like trying to tell a kid how a father and a mother have babies."

"You nailed it," Mako said. "The girls were all confused, but seeing your example, they decided to help it out."

"You really are a good leader," Hana remarked.

"No-no!" she said, waving her hands. "I am just helping you all to survive this world; our real goal is to get out of here alive, and if that means losing magic, I am willing."

They continued their discussion, as the girls of the Engineering Department and others managed to construct cabins that are clean and spacious, reinforced with steel and other materials for comfort and protection. The girls also decorated them with vines and plants, in order to camouflage them. Inside, the girls were putting final touches to living quarters, restrooms, kitchen spaces, and other amenities.

"Watch it!" one of the girls screamed.

"Ouch!" Karina whimpered, hitting one of her nails with a hammer. One of the girls, knowing some first aid, checked her wounds.

"Here you go."

"Th-thank you," Karina groaned. "What's your name?"

She looked at the girl. She looked like a tomboy, but with a friendly face, covered by short blond hair and striking green eyes. Her cheeks were a little plump, apparently from eating a little more than she should.

"I am Sara," she replied, whipping away her hair. "How about you?"

"Karina!" she began to greet. "Nice to-"

"Ooh, is this a toy?" Yuuki asked, playing with a rope. The others looked at her.

"Did you forget that we're constructing?!" Sodoko groaned. "We're still the same, even in this forsaken place!"

"At least thanks to...magic," Caesar said. "Everything that we do is a lot easier than expected. These buildings, which would take weeks, are almost done after only three days."

"What is magic?" Aya Oono asked.

The others shrugged, but did not care. They were just glad that their work was a lot easier. Miho overheard the conversation, and kept that in mind.

"And we need to make some defenses," Miho said, stretching her muscles. "Girls, let's all work together."

The others, however, groaned.

"Tired?" she asked, and they all nodded.

"Magic sure helps to make work a lot easier," Anzu noted. "But it has not done anything more dramatic yet."

"Like?" asked Yuzu.

"Like doing more exciting stuff," Anzu replied.

"We all really don't know magic anyway," Miho said. "Anyway, we can worry about that later. In the meantime, we need to set up defenses-Sara?"

"Augh..." the girl who gave first aid to Karina moaned, stumbling about. She suddenly started to twitch, her head shaking a little. She looked like an average high schoolgirl, much like the others. Like most of the girls, she was wearing her sailor fuku uniform of white and green.

"You alright?" Miho asked, approaching her. However, the Guardium rolled in, blocking her, its cameras staring at the shaking girl.

"Sara?" the other girls asked, coming over to check.

Sara twitched, then her skin started to glow an eerie white color. Soon, her whole body, including her clothing, was covered in a weird light. The others then backed away.

"Umm..." the others backed away, unsure of what was going on.

"What happened?" Miho asked, staring in shock.

"Sara ate something odd," one of the girls said.

"No," Sodoko said. "You all ate the same thing she did, except she ate a lot more than usual."

"How much?" Miho asked.

"At least three times as usual," Sodoko retorted. "She sounded like a glutton as..."

She trailed off, as the silhouette of Sara started to tear, apart. The part that was her head split into two, and actually formed into two round parts. The other parts of the body also separated, as the girls watched in horror and awe, as the white light seemed to censor whatever was going on.

"What's happening to her?!" many girls asked in shock.

"Is she..." Miho gawked, not sure of whether her own idea was genuine. "Yes...it must be."

Eventually, the white silhouette was split into two equal halves, which formed into two silhouettes of the girl. Then, the light faded rapidly, and the girls beheld...two girls.

Both girls blinked, then touched their own faces with their own hands.

"What just happened?" the left "Sara" asked.

"I guess we split?" the right "Sara" inferred.

"Sara?" Miho asked.

"Yes?" both girls asked, then blinked. Both girls stared at each other, while the others gawked.

Both looked just like the original Sara, slim and tomboyish (losing all of that fat from eating so much). However, the "left" one looked genuinely surprised, while the "right" one looked like it was not very bothered, although she did express a mild sense of surprise.

"Is...this...another thing of magic?" Yukari asked.

The others looked at each other, and decided that it was.

"Yes it is," Miho said. "To see this suddenly...Sara?"

"Me?" the left girl asked.

"That's her," the right girl replied.

"Wait," the left one said. "Aren't you Sara too?"

"I am your clone," the right girl replied. "I have all the memories of you, but I have none of your fears, such as death."

Everybody stared at her, gawking. They could not tell what was crazier: seeing a girl to duplicate, or seeing a duplicate being conscious of _herself_ being a duplicate.

"Then," Mako said, shivering a little. "Are you...her duplicate?"

The duplicate Sara rolled her eyes.

"Yes!" she replied. "You may not know of this, but I am the result of what happens when the REAL Sara ate more than she needed to. In fact, she needed that, in order to duplicate. I am her clone, but I am NOT her doppelgänger or something more malevolent."

"Wait a minute," Miho replied. "That means that others can do it...right?"

The duplicate Sara nodded.

"How do you know about this?" Saori asked.

"I just know," she replied. "I am a clone, after all."

The others looked at each other, then decided to do it.

"Let's make a buffet," Saori replied. "And eat as much as possible!"

* * *

 **A few hours later...**

"Boy," Yukari admitted. "We made an army."

"Not all," Miho replied, as she and others checked their defenses.

With food they acquired from hunting, fishing, and gathering, the girls made a feast, indulging as much as possible. However, all 144 non-Senshadou girls were able to duplicate, creating multiple clones. All 37 Senshadou girls, however, did not even feel anything, other than having a lot of energy from the food.

"That's strange," Oryou noted, checking her stomach. "After eating so much, my stomach is not bulging, although I feel a lot of energy."

"And all 37 of us girls in the Senshadou are not affected!" Saori noted.

"Good thing," Anzu said, reclining on a chair. "I don't want to mess with two Momos."

"Prez!" she screamed out, as Yuzu and Shinobu Kawanishi both restrained her. "That was mean!"

"And I am not Prez now," Anzu said. "Hana-san is."

"Girls!" Miho called out. "Let's focus!"

The girls went back to business, directing the numerous clones. The original 144 girls now number at least 1,152. With that many girls, the Ooarai girls were able to finish setting up over 90% of their defense perimeters. The girls created numerous traps, such as pitfalls and small spikes, designed more to deter rather than to kill. Camouflaged sniper nests and outposts dotted the areas, populated by clone-girls who set watch. They were all equipped with bows and other weapons that they managed to make. Indeed, another thing they learned was that magic somehow allowed them to partially create, or partially replicate, existing weapons. Due to the abundance of wood, the girls easily made bows, arrows, crossbows, and other wood-based weapons. However, handguns and more metal-based weapons were harder to create, so only the leaders wielded them.

"They're all equipped," Sodoko reported. "They all have a storage of weapons, some food, some drinks, and a portable radio to communicate."

Miho nodded, and watched around. On the cliffs were some observation decks, looking more like bushes rather than concealed platforms.

"How are the inner defenses?" Miho asked, as she and her group traveled back to the camp. "And who's in charge of the outer defense?"

"Erwin, Yukari, and some others are doing that," Sodoko reported. "And the inner defenses look quite formidable.

Miho sighed, as she surveyed the defense. The main base was one colossal building, looking more like a school building, but concealed completely in vegetation. Inside, the girls created a large cave, in order to protect some more fragile electronics. Deeper still, a series of tunnels served as storage spaces, mostly to refrigerate more perishable goods. Above the building, a few posts had guns in turrets, while the tanks were in the lower areas, their cannons pointed and ready to shoot.

"Our inner defenses," Miho said. "Are really a last resort. We should not fire, unless we have. Gunshots make a lot of noise; we're here to avoid attention, not to engage in...war."

She shivered. Despite the clones willing to take risks, she does not want to risk losing anyone, not even the clones.

"The communications altar is working," Noriko said, running towards them without panting. "But we have bad news."

"Huh?"

"The portal altar is broken," she replied. "A few of us checked on it, but it looked cracked already."

"Ah!" Miho replied. "Remember that it started to crack as we all left?"

"No," the other girls nodded.

"We were too focused on survival," Anzu said. "To mind the smaller details."

"Then let's sit down," Miho said, as she went over to a log, put a cushion on it, and sat down. The others agreed, and did so, all of them relieved to finally be sitting down.

"Finally," Anzu said, reclining on a chair that she salvaged and restored, so that it reclined backwards. "Now that we can finally think carefully, what's next?"

"There is one thing that we need to do," Miho said.

"And?"

"We need to think about what exactly happened," she replied. "Specifically, the world and the situation right now."

"In other words," Mako replied. "Understand EVERYTHING that just happened?"

"In a way," Miho said, nodding. "Yes, so let's get started-wait. How about this: let's rest for now, and we can start discussing tomorrow morning.

Everybody agreed, and went about their own things.

"Thanks for keeping us alive," one of the Naval Studies girls said, coming over with a tray of snacks.

"You're welcome," she replied, getting a cup of drink. "We're all in this together."

"But to be honest," the girl said, sitting down. "This whole world is literally nuts now."

Miho suddenly stood up, surveying the surroundings. The towering plateaus and mountains stood mighty and brown, their surfaces shining in the rays of the sunlight above. Below, trees swayed back and forth, a seemingly endless tide of greens and all kinds of tropical colors.

Miho smiled.

"We'll somehow survive," she replied. "This is our new base, after all. It's a new beginning, in a brave new world."

* * *

 **So, next chapter will be an actual introduction to the whole story.**

 **Tune in to the next chapter, in order to understand what happened exactly in South America.**

 **I give a shout-out to** **Ghost recon- Bryan Uzimaki for helping me out with the camping scenes. He really helped me to jump-start the chapter.**

 **I also give a shout-out to der Jagdexperte for his sharp eyes at specific details, such as Brazil as a Portuguese-speaking country and specific details concerning the Panzer IV.**

 **Normally, I would introduce the story's setting en masse in the very beginning, but I wanted to try out a different way of writing. Please review, PM etc. on how I am faring. I hope that this is definitely worth the read.**

 **Thank you so much, and let's be "slow and steady."**


	4. Chapter 4: Once Upon a Time

**Alright, here it is: the "true" introduction to my story. I wrote my story in a sort of "in medias res." So, if you're more interested in my world than in a weird way to begin the story, here it is.**

 **Good luck.**

 **Note: I will start bolding some words and/or sentences, in order to signify their importance.**

* * *

 **Rise of Senshazonia**

 **Chapter 4: Once Upon a Time**

 **Camp with a communications altar**

 **Kasikasima, Sipaliwini District, Suriname**

 **1:00 PM; February 25, 20XX**

The sun blazed down upon the world below, shining upon the rivers and cliffs, as they sparkled in the dim mists of the jungles around. Right next to a group of towering cliffs, a large but well-hidden cabin was in place, with smaller buildings dotting around it, almost like a beehive or an apartment complex. Beneath the towering trees that partially hid the cabins, hundreds of girls were going out their business, from farming to just casually chatting.

Inside of the big cabin, however, a major meeting was taking place, as the 37 girls of the Senshadou club, the de facto leaders of the settlement, sat down in wooden chairs, surrounding a rectangular table. Miho was at one end, while Ogin sat on the other end.

"Alright," Miho said, taking a deep breath. "Let's get to the point."

* * *

 **Latin America**

"From what we all know," Miho said. "Even before the Apocalypse struck, South America struggled with a continent-wide epidemic of crimes and violence. Indeed, Latin America-not only South America, but also Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean-had some of the highest rates of gun violence, deaths, and all kinds of crimes in the world. In fact, although statistics vary by poll and research organization, they all have common themes. According the Clements Worldwide, there are five worst and best countries in terms of crime rates. Three of the worst five are all in Latin America: Honduras, Venezuela, and Belize."

The girls shivered at the revelation.

"On the other hand," Miho said with a smile. "Our nation, Japan, is one of the top five best in terms of crime rate; we have among the lowest of all."

"Wow," the girls reacted with awe.

"We're used to a life of **peace and prosperity** ," Miho declared. "For the Latin Americans, they are used to a life of **crime and corruption**."

The girls shivered again.

"And from another site," continued Miho. "According to the Business Insider, of the 15 countries with the worst organized crime problems in the world, eight of them are in Latin America."

"Are you kidding me?!" various girls screamed.

"I guess we're a bunch of innocent, naive tourists," Erwin said with a sigh.

"Or sheltered samurais of the ancient Japan," Oryou remarked.

"That's!" the Hippo girls began to declare, then the truth dawned upon them. "...right."

"And what are those eight?" asked Azusa, in order to try and refocus the group's attention towards Miho.

"Peru, Colombia, and Venezuela are all in South America," Miho replied. "Jamaica is in the Caribbean, and the last four..."

She trailed off in thought.

"...Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and El...Salvador," she finished.

"Nishizumi-san?" a few of the girls asked.

Miho looked visibly a little shaken.

"Sorry," Miho admitted, giggling nervously. "You see...Central America, which at times includes Mexico, is one of the worst places to live; you don't really want to go there anyway."

"Why?" Karina asked innocently.

"Remember our school lessons?" Sodoko asked. "Just look at Mexico! One of the worst drug cartels, or criminal organizations, of all times. There, you get shot for doing your job, and for NOT doing your job. There is little or no second chance."

"And plus," Miho said. " **All kinds of murder, drug trafficking, and crimes that I don't want to even mention**."

Miho looked sideways, visibly disturbed.

"You must have been there," Saori noted.

Miho silently nodded.

"It was just a stop on the way to Brazil," Miho said, sighing. "And already three times in the same airport, somewhere in El Salvador, on the same day, somebody tried to kidnap us."

"They did WHAT?!" the girls screamed, shocked.

Miho sighed, then decided to tell them what had transpired. Long story short, her family was waiting for the next stop, as they were waiting for a delayed flight. At this point, Miho and Maho both were very young kids. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a man wrapped his arms around Miho, and ran off with her. However, being used to playing hide-and-seek, in which she would squeeze into very tight spaces, Miho easily got out and ran back. Only a few minutes after, another man tried to kidnap her; this time, Maho tripped him over with her left leg. The man got up in rage, only to run away at the sight of Shiho. An hour later, just as they were trying to board their flight, a small group of men then marched towards the family, causing all of the Nishizumis to get in, just as the security guards and the agents stopped the men in their tracks.

"My mother told me," she said. "That the men were saying something about ' **ransom** ' or something."

"Are you alright?!" the girls gasped.

"I was innocent at that time," she replied, giggling nervously again. "In fact, I don't even remember that incident. My sister, however, remembers a part of it, mostly the part of seeing me being kidnapped by the men."

"Ah..." some of the girls replied, imagining how horrifying an experience it would have been for Miho's older sister.

"Now," Sodoko said, clearing her throat. "Imagine now that same country with the Apocalypse..."

The girls all shivered again.

"...and it's like worse than the Johannesburg of Ooarai," she added.

"Or highschool you mean," Murakami retorted, putting her hat over her face.

"Girls," Miho declared. "There is another thing: most gangs in Latin America are led by men, and they are big on machismo."

"Machismo?" some of them asked.

"Portuguese and Spanish for 'male,'" Caesar explained. "It is both a word and a concept, popular in Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries. It is the idea of masculine identity and purpose in life. Positively, it is used to describe a man's responsibility in life, just as Senshadou is meant to foster our feminine identity. Negatively, it is used to mean male aggression and violence..."

Even she trailed off, as she started to realize what Miho was getting at.

Miho nodded.

"What do you mean?" Aya asked.

"Some machismo gangs," Caesar bluntly said. "Will kidnap you and...do something to your virginity."

Aya gulped, her face turning pale.

"On the positive side," Miho said, brightening up to change the topic. "South America has the world's largest rainforest: the Amazon jungle. It also has one of the world's largest swamp: the Pantanal. It has some of the greatest levels of biodiversity ever: the Tropical Andes, the rich lands of the Andes mountains, alone are considered to be the world's most diverse."

Long story short, she got into details the vast diversity of the South American environment. Unlike the professors and teachers in schools, she focused on what appealed to the girls, describing the size of the trees, the strangest animals, such as fruit-eating piranhas (that caught them by surprise), and the cute animals that inhabit the jungles. Hence, a whole hour passed, yet the girls were mesmerized like little kids listening to a funny story.

"You sure are good at this," Saori noted, after she finished.

"Oh!" she realized, giggling. "Ehehehe, I think I got carried away."

"But golden lion tamarins!"

"Jaguars and caimans!"

"And macaws!"

"And dinosaurs!"

That came out of the mouths of Karina, Aya, Ayumi, Yuuki, causing the others to stare at them. Miho giggled in response.

"To be honest," she replied. "We have found no evidence of dinosaurs living in jungles, but because they are so little-explored, all kinds of animals have been found, that even scientists today are shocked at."

The four Rabbit girls then stared at her, eyes wide open with anticipation.

"Well," Miho replied, hesitant. "Maybe, maybe not."

"But long story short," Yukari said. "Latin America is both dangerous and amazing."

"It's a double-edged sword," Miho said, sighing. "But let's stick around this area; we're close to Venezuela, so we have to be careful with that. Until we are strong enough, we'll avoid Central America too; I suspect that by now, that area is overrun with maras."

"Maras?"

"Central American gangs," Miho said. "They just like to kill each other, and other people, just for profits and all. Now imagine this Apocalypse, with the Selvagens and all..."

The girls gulped.

"Speaking of them..."

* * *

 **Salvajes/Selvagens/Enemies**

"The Selvagens," Miho said.

The girls shivered, with some hugging each other for comfort.

"Also known as the Salvajes," Miho continued. "From what we know, they arose soon after the Apocalypse occurred. Apparently, they originate in crime-ridden areas, spreading from there like a pandemic. They apparently are, or at least were, humans, who somehow got drugged."

"What kind of drugs?" Karina asked.

"In South America," she explained. "There are a variety of drugs, but some are more dangerous than others. I have even heard of a drug that can control you like a puppet..."

They all shivered.

"I don't want to think of that!"

"What we do know," she continued. "Is that the Selvagens or Salvajes are all low-key criminals and all kinds of people, who apparently took some weird drugs. However, these drugs are apparently magical or something, because they made them huge and muscular, at the cost of their sanity and civility. Indeed, there are three main things I notice about them":

1) "The Selvagens come from all kinds of backgrounds. While I have seen mostly those of darker skin, I have seen Europeans and Asians all in that group."

2) "They all become incredibly fast and strong, standing at least 200 or even 300 cm tall. They can leap farther, jump higher, and are more brutal than most of us. Indeed, they are dangerous even without weapons. But they can also use weapons with ease."

3) "They all have lost a lot of their humanity. They don't care who gets in the way; they are literally much like Orcs of fantasy games: savages bent on killing good guys."

"Yeah," Murakami grunted. "They keep coming at us, looking like men who have never seen women their whole lives..."

Even she trailed off, as the revelation dawned on her.

"Yes," Miho said, nodding. "Be very careful with them; they will...yeah."

The girls twitched and shivered.

"OK!" Anzu said. "Let's get to a different topic. What's next?"

"How about our friends?" Miho asked.

* * *

 **Ships and schools' fates**

"Our friends from other schools..." the girls all mumbled. This time, Saori spoke.

"From what little we know," she said, rummaging through her files. "They're all safe and sound."

The girls all sighed in relief.

"However," she noted, frowning at some notes. "About half of all girls from each school got stuck in the continent for some reason, and all of the ships have escaped-"

"Wait," Mako interrupted. "Is Latin America a continent?"

"In some schools," answered Saori. "Sort...sort of. Some consider North and South Americas as separate continents, while others lump both together into 'the Americas.' Latin America is more of a region, encompassing Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and all of South America. But I get your point; either South America or Latin America is fine, since we later discovered, from the communications altars, that the Apocalypse has extended to those areas as well. And speaking of that..."

* * *

 **The Apocalypse**

"It's so unclear," Miho admitted. "Everything happened so fast, that it did not feel like a zombie apocalypse. We all got torn apart by fissures, only to end up in areas that we did not expect. For example, for us we started out in São Paulo, Brazil. Then, after a fissure separated us, we were covered in some weird magical fog or something, and after a few minutes, we ended up in Salvador, Bahia of Brazil."

"That means," Mako gasped, showing a rare face of shock. "That we somehow transport-no, _teleported_ almost 2,000 km up north?"

Miho nodded, and the girls mumbled among themselves.

"And that teleportation-portal altar-thing," Ogin said. "Also does that too."

"But why teleport us?" Hana asked.

"And why we are alive?" Saori noted. "While others are..."

She trailed off, as Miho nodded in understanding.

"I don't know," she admitted. "But what matters is that we're alive, our ships are safe, and that we have another day to live for. Let's move forward."

"Speaking of that," Sodoko said, getting up. "I want to say one thing, and I think all of you will feel a mixture of feelings, mostly anger."

* * *

 **Brazilian government and President**

All of the girls shook their heads, wailed, or clearly expressed indignance, shock, and disbelief to a various degree.

"To be honest," Sodoko said, sighing as she finished her long but stern monologue. "The President of Brazil was one of the stupidest people I've ever met. And she was **Denma Clipark** , the first female President of Brazil, and she was the one in charge of overseeing the Senshadou Parade!"

She said the last part with some emphasis, even slamming her right hand onto the table.

"And we saw from the start," Anzu said. "That something was quite off."

They all nodded.

"From delaying the Parade for hours," Miho said. "To confiscating our bags, despite searching them before...it was a little too much."

"Especially for us foreigners," Mako said, shivering. "They even tied a few of us in!"

"And then we finally got to go in free," Erwin said, sighing.

"Just who is she?!" Sodoko grunted. " **She had little sense of moral-no, no sense of being organized!** "

"And her team even checked our blogs and **e-mails**!" Aya Oono groaned. "I had to blush real bad, as they analyzed my e-mail list, before letting me go!"

"And wasn't some weird lady with her?" Mako noted. "I mean, there was this **strange lady** , who kept whispering into her ears. The President listened to her, like a daughter to her mother."

"Or a **puppet** under its master," Sodoko retorted.

"It's just like the Brazilian Olympics," Nakajima, said with a sigh. "Some of my friends traveled over there to watch, and got robbed-three times in two days."

"And now she fled," Saemonza said with a resigned sigh, checking her yumi bow.

The others agreed, and reacted variously; some just sighed, while others expressed their indignance.

"She's not even a REAL President!"

"She's so bad with this!"

"Girls!" Miho said, calming the crowd down. "I know, but we cannot do anything for now. Let's focus on one more thing: us."

* * *

 **Themselves**

"We haven't changed much," Miho said. "Other than minor details, we are much like we are. Somehow, a few seconds after the Apocalypse, I felt some strange pulses inside of me."

"Me too!"

"I did too!"

All others agreed, including the non-Senshadou girls, as they came in and out to replenish the girl's snacks and drinks.

"We feel that same pulse," one of the clone girls came over. "Whenever we are split from our 'true girl,' we also feel the pulse."

"Is that **magic**?" Miho asked.

The clone nodded.

"How do you all know so much?" Saori asked.

"We are clones," she replied. "We clones are BORN knowing some things outright. It makes sense, since we are born teens already; it makes no sense that we'll be born like babies, without knowing what's going on. Do you really want to deal with a girl who has the body of a schoolgirl, but the mindset of a baby?"

Everybody shook heads frantically.

"Me too," the clone-girl replied, before going away to do her own things.

"Now that I think about it," Saori said, getting up. "I think I feel a littler...taller."

"You mean bigger?" Mako asked with a slight sense of humor, causing her to fume.

"We all feel something," Miho said. "Like another growth spurt."

"Hopefully I am not gaining weight," Saori moaned.

"Me too," Oryou chimed in.

"Me three," Yuzu replied.

"I am in," Piyotan replied.

"The former Diet club girls," Sodoko replied. "You're scared of gaining weight? It's not gaining weight; it's growing UP."

All four girls pouted at the former Morals Committee President.

"Plus," Miho continued. "We all can use magic to a various degree. However, it is more of an extra support; it makes our work easier, and it also affects our crops."

They all looked at their tiny farms through the windows. In only a few days, the seeds sprouted and grew into tall plants, their flowers ready to bud.

"But that's a little too fast!" one of the Agricultural Sciences girls declared outside; the girls easily heard her. "An average maize plant takes about 60 to 100 days to reach harvest, and these are already almost ready after only about 10 days!"

"Another thing about magic," Miho noted. "So then, let's talk about ma-"

 _Bump._

Something knocked against the wall of the cabin outside, causing the girls to react. Miho went to the window, and peeked.

"Guardium?" Miho asked, seeing the vehicle. It was knocking on the window, using a strange robotic arm. Miho got out, and the others followed. It then nudged her, like a dog poking its nose at its master, then turned around frantically. It was making all kinds of mechanical sounds, as if both excited and desperate.

"Does it want us to follow?" Sodoko asked. "When it interrupted our meeting?"

The vehicle then made more noises, as if desperate.

"I think it needs help," Saori noted.

"Ooh!" Nekota said. "This is like a quest in a video game, except real!"

The vehicle made a nodding motion with its hood.

"I guess we should," Hana said, petting the car gently. It continued to nod.

"Well," Ogin said, throwing her cape over her shoulder dramatically. "Shall we?"

"Before we do so," Miho said. "Who's going to come with us, and who's going to stay? We'll need to be extra cautious..."

* * *

 **Jungles of** **Sipaliwini District, Suriname**

 **5:00 PM; February 25, 20XX**

The girls trekked through patches of jungles. Although they were following the Guardium on a semi-clear path, there were plenty of branches and forms of vegetation that got in the way, forcing the girls to slash with machetes and anything they had. The Anglerfish Team led the way, followed by the Duck Team, the Hippo Team, the Anteater Team, and the Leopon Team. All others stayed behind, in order to manage the camp.

"You know," Yukari said, as she and others marched on. "For some reason, I don't feel so hot."

"Why do you ask?" Mako inquired.

"Remember back in Brazil?" she explained. "When we first landed, we struggled to keep ourselves cool. We had to wear our Senshadou uniforms, as part of the show. However, they were so hot!"

"This is Brazil," Miho said. "Not Japan. Here, temperatures are almost always tropical year-around. But you're right; after the Apocalypse, everything seems nicer now."

"Or is it because of magic?" Saori asked.

"I-I don't know," Miho replied.

Suddenly, the Guardium stopped, buzzed, and then sped off.

"Wait!" the girls screamed, as they hurried to follow.

After what felt like an hour of trekking and following, the girls finally caught up with the Guardium, which stopped at another path. In front of the path was a camp, protected by small but strong walls, made of what looked like concrete and steel. The steel gates, however, looked mangled and torn asunder.

"OK..." Yukari noted. "That doesn't look good. If the gates are broken like that..."

The Guardium slowly entered, as if it sensed something was not right. As the girls entered, they gasped.

"It's abandoned," Saori began. "And-gulp."

They realized that it was abandoned, because they were all...

"Wow," Miho said, sweating. "Somebody was alive enough to give them some funeral."

White blankets covered what looked like people on the ground, nailed in place by some stones to keep the blankets from flying away. The girls wisely restrained their gazes, both out of respect and out of fear.

Mako jumped on top of Saori, forcing her to carry her, although she was not bothered by the weight.

"I-I don't want to..." Mako gasped.

"Please be calm," Saori said quietly but gently, patting her lightly. "Everything's fine."

The Anglerfish Team continued to follow the Guardium, as the trail in front was vacant. However, all around the girls could tell that there was a fighting. Numerous white blankets covered the campground; the tents were ripped apart, while certain items were thrown around, as if somebody was using them to attack somebody else. The Duck Team girls huddled together, while the Hippo Team girls shivered but tried to maintain their composure. The Anteater Team girls walked very closely behind the Hippo girls, scared out of their wits.

"De-de-de," Nekota tried to speak, but gasped and just quieted down.

"Good thing somebody covered them up," Nakajima whispered, as her Leopon Team trailed behind, careful to look behind for any ambush.

After what felt like an hour of trekking through a warzone, the girls stopped, because the Guardium halted. After a few seconds, the girls heard only silence.

No birds.

No wind.

Suddenly, two voices rang out not far away.

"Someone's fighting!" Miho gasped, and was about to rush in. However, the Guardium blocked her, then carefully moved forward. The others understood, and decided to sneak towards the noises. Carefully, they traversed and the Guardium then used its robotic arm to point at a sandbag wall. Nodding in silent understanding, all of the girls huddled behind. However, it motioned to Miho, so that she stayed close to it. All of the girls then peeked from behind the wall, as the source of the noises was behind it.

Two men were gasping, snarling and growling at each other. One was dressed in a green military outfit, with what looked like a slightly curved short sword (a little too small to be a sword, but a little too big to be a dagger); he was on the left side of the girls' field of vision. Facing the man was another one, but dressed in a white thobe with what looked like a white-and-black turban on top. He had an actual scimitar in his right hand.

The two said all kinds of words at each other, and the girls did not know what they were saying.

"What are they saying?" Yukari asked both Saori and Mako.

"I don't know," both replied.

"I am not a genius at everything," Mako grunted.

"And I don't speak Arabic either," Saori replied.

Suddenly, they both spoke in English.

"You murderer and robber!" the man in thobe roared. "How dare you get in our way! We were almost successful!"

"And what are you going to use it for?" the man in green uniform asked rhetorically. "To destroy my country!?"

"No," the other growled. "To rid you and your pigs for good!"

The man in green scowled.

"And then attack other countries?" he retorted. "With that **weapon**?!"

"No," the man in white hissed. "Then, we can finally get our country back!"

"Look!" the man in green growled. "We just want a homeland, one where we can be safe from persecution worldwide and-"

"And steal our lands away!" the other hissed.

"It's NOT stealing!" the man in green shouted. "The Peel Commission recommended TWO states: one for us, and one for you! We did not like it either, but decided to follow up and-"

"Dirty Eurocentric pigs!" the other hissed.

"Stop calling us pigs!" the man in green roared. "I don't eat pork, and so do you!"

"Peel Commission?" Erwin wondered, trying to remember. "That-that sounds familiar..."

The Guardium buzzed, and then roared into view. Miho ducked behind the wall, but watched closely.

"And you pathetic car," the man in white hissed. "Cannot do anything. It does not even try and ram me!"

"It's a Guardium!" the man in green roared. "It's designed for patrol, not for actual fighting!"

"And did it bring reinforcements this time?" the man in white declared. "It has failed again and again!"

"And stop insulting us!" the man in green roared. "Why did you all have to attack us?! We were just trying to get away from you all, and you all got into this mess!"

"And why did YOU," the man in white shouted. "Have to get in our way, ruining the weapon that could have saved our country."

"But that weapon will MURDER millions of my people!" the man in green roared. "And millions of YOUR people live in our country too! Do you care about them?"

"What?" the man in white hissed. "Liar! Only pigs live in your country!"

"Like I said!" the man in green roared. "We just want to escape this land, but all of Latin America is now under some strange lockdown! We've just found what looked like a teleportation system, and you all ruined it!"

"That's retaliation for destroying our weapon!" the man in white shouted back. "We were so close, and you all just got in and interrupted our system too!"

"I want to go home!" the man in green roared, shaking his head.

"I want to also!" the man in white screamed. "But first I need to avenge my soldiers' death!"

"Will you stop this nonsense?" Miho asked politely but firmly, getting out of her hiding. She marched towards the two men, as her friends followed suit. Both men turned around, their faces suddenly paling. Both then redirected their weapons at the girls, as if they were seeing a ghost.

"I don't know much about politics," Miho replied. "But please, we can have a proper discussion. A discussion with swords at each other is not a good way to argue."

Miho and the others blinked, as the men looked a little...shorter than they expected. Miho blinked, as she was looking quite down at the men.

"Ah-ah-ah..." the man in white gasped.

"Oh wow," the man in green mumbled. Sighing, he then put his sword (or dagger?) back into its sheath, and bowed down to the girls in polite respect. The other, scowling, then emulated and did the same.

The girls blinked.

"Umm," Miho tried to speak, but Mako came forward.

"Let me ask you a question," Mako said. "How tall are you?"

"I am 181 cm tall," the man in green replied.

The girls then stared at each other, thunderstruck.

"You-you're not humans," the man in white declared.

"Sorry?" the girls asked.

"He's right," the man in green said, sighing. "You girls are not humans."

The girls blinked again, confused. Miho stepped forward.

"What do you mean?" she asked, puzzled.

The man in green had a sheepish grin on his face, and made a faint, nervous giggle.

" **Senshazons** ," he curtly replied.

"Who?"

* * *

 **Alright, I have finally introduced the world of my story more closely. I hope that this is good enough to give you all readers a good idea of what will happen.**

 **More will be revealed, though, but feel PM me etc. for anything you have in mind, and thank you for all your support, from faves to follows!**

* * *

 **Note: From above, Clements Worldwide and Business Insider are real sites. You can check them, by googling them etc., for more information on Latin America and crime rates.**

 **Note 2: President Denma Clipark is based on THREE female leaders, two of them President, and one almost President. Guess which ones they are? The answer will be in the next chapter!**

* * *

 **In the meantime, thank you so much for the reviews, faves, and follows, and panzer vor!**


	5. Chapter 5: Realities

**Here we go.**

 **Not much to say, but let's just say:**

 **Happy post-Fourth of July!**

* * *

 **Rise of Senshazonia**

 **Chapter 5: Realities**

 **Destroyed camp**

 **Somewhere in the Sipaliwini District, Suriname**

 **7:00 PM; February 25, 20XX**

"So that's what you meant..." Miho pondered.

The girls had the two men separated, since they were still at odds with each other. The girls commanded both to drop their weapons, which both reluctantly did. Then, Noriko and Akebi of Duck Team flanked the man in green, while their two other members flanked the man in white; both men were only a few meters apart. The Hippo girls went out to patrol the camp, while the Anteater Team volunteered to leave the camp to report back to base (the man in green gave them permission to loot the base). The Leopon Team, however, checked a nearby garage, which was locked tight.

"How do we open this thing?" Nakajima remarked, as she tried to figure out the single lock, which was the only way in. "This lock is...weird. It looks like an old key lock, but for some reason, none of our lock picks are working."

"It's Israel," the man in green said.

"And you thought you're better than us," the man in white mumbled, causing the Duck girls to nudge both men lightly, but sternly to quiet both down. "Sorry, but the Israeli pig did-uf!"

This time, Shinobu elbowed him, silencing him.

"I don't know everything," Miho said. "But from what you all said, we are Senshazons. Mako?"

"From what we heard from you," she replied, as Saori and Miho both wrote on their notebooks. "Senshazons are the name given to us girls who practice Senshadou, and the girls who stayed with us. We seem to be Humans, but we are...different?"

The man in green shrugged.

"And," she continued. "That we are sort of a different 'race' of humanity of something, in which we are superhuman by nature, but still human in a way. In general, we are better and stronger than the average human, partly due to the ability to wield something called magic. But there are many questions left unanswered."

"Unfortunately," he said, sighing. "The rest of the information is inside of the garage, which is locked down tight."

"Why?" the man in white hissed.

"I am just a soldier," the man in green sighed. "All I know is what the scientists and my leaders told me: Senshazons are a potentially distinct race of humanoids with great powers. The name was coined, because they are first seen in Senshadou practitioners, and their unusual ability to use modern-day tanks, in ways impossible by Human standards. Plus, they are taller than the average Humans."

 **He was right about the last part. The girls found out that they were indeed taller; Miho estimated that she herself was about 30 cm taller than both men. Both were about 180 cm tall, and she herself apparently towered over them, causing her to fidget a little.**

"Who exactly coined the term?" Miho asked, after a brief pause.

"The superiors of the IDF," the man in green replied. "Israel Defense Forces, but I suspect that the US forces, the CIA or FBI or something, also was involved."

The girls stared at him, gawking.

"How so?" Saori asked.

"We arrived here in South America," he replied. "To be honest, all of us soldiers did not really know why we're even here, for some secret mission or something. The leader who briefed us clearly spoke with an American accent. In fact, he spoke in Spanish to his co-workers, unaware that I am proficient in that language. Basically put, he was remarking that he wished that he could say more, but due to some contract, was not permitted to say, in order to ensure that the mission was a success."

"Which did not work out," Mako pointed out, causing him to nod in grim agreement.

"Ah," the man in green said, making a small bow. "I forgot to introduce myself. I am Yosef."

"Nice to meet you," the girls said.

"Then it's only fair," the man in white said, clearing his throat. "I am Mo."

"Mo?" the girls asked.

"Short for Mohammad," he replied, although his eyes twitched a little. "Unfortunately, it has gotten too popular, and my group had at least 30 people with the same name."

The girls gawked.

"Yes," he said, sighing. "To be honest, this is what happens when a name becomes too popular. Hence, that was really one reason for the loss of my crew. I was the only one with a nickname, which saved my life."

"Ah," Yukari said. "That's why you lost so many; too many people were calling out to each other, but with the same name, it got confusing."

"Yes," Mo hissed. "I told them all before to have nicknames or something to distinguish one from each other, but no. They kept their names, and in the ensuing chaos here, the weapon that I mentioned before was destroyed, because many 'Mohammads' were in charge of the most important stuff. And we lost them all, demolished as the Israelite forces took the advantage."

"I commend you for being smart about that," Miho said. "When you realize that about 30 of you had the same name, using a different name, even a nickname, prevents confusion."

"Unfortunately," Mo replied, sighing again. "They also called me by my full name, and I got confused as well. Only my closest friends and leaders actually called me by my preferred name, and I managed to avoid being killed."

"No wonder," Yosef noted. "That's why even we got confused, and we just fired at anyone."

"You mean murdered," Mo growled.

"Stop it," Miho said sternly. "But let's get to the point: Yosef, you and your group were here, in order to explore this area or something, but the true mission was hidden from you. Mo, you and your group attacked this base, in retaliation for destroying this 'weapon' of sort. Now, you two are the only surviving members."

Both men nodded.

"And what...can you all do next?"

They were silent for a while, then Yosef cleared his throat.

"I know," he said, sighing. "But I know where to go; all I need is to access the garage, take a car that works, and just go, if there is a car, that is."

"Do you know where you're going?" Miho asked.

"I do," he replied. "Unlike the Palestini-"

"Please be quiet," Miho said sternly. Normally, she did not cut people off, but every time one of the men talked, the two would start arguing again. In order to resolve the situation, she would cut them off.

"So," Miho said. "Yosef-sama, you're a part of this secret group sent by the Israel Defense Forces, for some secret mission, which we will uncover once we open the garage, right?"

He nodded, although he looked puzzled by her words.

"What is 'sama'?" he asked.

"Our way of saying 'sir' or something like that," Saori explained.

"Ah," he noted, nodding.

"And Mo-sama," she said, turning to the man in white. "You are a part of the Palestine Liberation Organization, which somehow ended up in South America, with a secret mission of sort too, right?"

He nodded, although not as confidently as Yosef did. Miho and Mako both noticed this.

"So, let me get this straight," Yukari said. "You two are part of some secret missions that went wrong, but you all don't know what you all are even here in the first place. And now, you two are stuck."

Both men nodded, Yosef more confidently than Mo did.

 _Is Mo hiding something?_ Miho thought.

"For now," she said. "We have to put both of you on hold. We cannot really know who to trust, since this is a crazy world that we live right now. However, Yosef-sama, thank you for giving us permission to loot your base."

"It's a pleasure," he replied with a small bow. "You girls look quite innocent and strong enough. Anyway, I prefer to-no, I prefer that these weapons we have be in the right hands."

"We'll also help with the burial too," Hana said seriously, a few flowers in hand.

"Thank you," Yosef replied with a small bow.

"And what about you?" Hana asked. "Mo...Mo-mo-sama?"

"It's Mo," Mo replied, fixing his headwear. "My group is down there; I have already done the burials myself."

"Oh," the girls replied.

"It's nothing," Mo answered, fidgeting a little.

"So," Shinobu, one of the Duck girls flanking him spoke. "How is it possible that you and Yosef are the only survivors?"

"His men slaughtered all of my comrades," Mo answered, growling. "In retaliation, we did what we had to do."

"But Yosef said about a 'weapon' of sort," Mako said. "And no, don't try and pretend that we're stupid."

However, he was silent.

"Whatever it was," Yukari said. "It's gone, right?"

Mo blinked, then slowly nodded.

 _It's obvious that he's being careful with what he's saying_ , Miho noted mentally.

 _What's he hiding?_ Saori thought, raising an eyebrow.

 _Wonder what's going on?_ Hana wondered.

 _Israel vs. Palestine...even here_ , Yukari made a mental note.

"Mo-sama," Mako blurted out. "What are you and Yosef hiding?"

Mo made a start, then glared up at her.

"I am NOT hiding anything!" he snarled, although he shook a little. "But that Israel-guy is!"

The girls all raised their own eyebrows, while Yosef growled.

"I told you all what I could," he retorted. "I don't know much about what or who the Senshazons are, until one of them decided to admit it."

"So," Miho began. "Who are-"

"USAMAH!" a huge voice roared in the distance.

Everybody in the vicinity turned to look. Even the Hippo Team reappeared, curious.

A man in white but bloody rags stumbled into view. He was panting, rags dragging behind. However, his eyes were full of rage, as he looked straight at the man in white.

"HOW DARE YOU!" he roared. "YOU THOUGHT-HOW-HOW CAN YOU?!"

The man in white suddenly stood up, and made a move. However, he was unable to take anyone hostage, as Miho quickly made a judo throw, immobilizing him. Noriko and Yukari both disarmed him, removing his hidden daggers, even stripping him of his shirt in order to find anything else.

"#%$%^%^#!" the man in white cursed, his language in Arabic so that the girls could not understand him.

"Whatever you're saying," Noriko retorted, as she confiscated a very slim dagger from the right boot, while elbowing him hard. "You sure are not cooperative."

While the Duck Team was restraining him with ropes, the other girls, including Miho, rushed to the aid of the man. He was panting hard, as his wounds cleared showed. Miho stopped, then rushed back to get a stretcher, just as the others were holding him carefully, wrapping some of his wounds with clean towels and white blankets. Soon, the girls brought him on the stretcher to a nearby, and tended to his wounds.

"Th-thank you," he gasped, as the girls treated him.

"Who are you?" Miho asked, as her friends helped to clean his wounds out, most of which appeared to be wounds from a sharp blade.

"I am Mo."

* * *

 **Same camp, but in the process of being looted**

 **Somewhere in the Sipaliwini District, Suriname**

 **9:00 AM; February 26, 20XX**

It was the next morning, and the girls finally were able to both rest, and to get help. The first 100 girls came with Nekota yesterday evening, and helped to set up the perimeters. Today, over 200 more came, following the rest of the Anteater Team, and after breakfast commenced the looting. Nothing special happened, as the girls gathered up as many goods as they could carry. Originally, the girls wanted to bring in the tanks, but due to the terrain had to simply come by foot. Still, with that many people, it was easy to gather most of the goods, from personal firearms to food supplies.

Meanwhile, the Leopon girls still continued their futile process, still trying to break the lock with lock picks. The rest of the Anglerfish, Duck, Hippo, and Anteater teams sat around in a circle, with three men alongside them. This time, two of them sat free (one of them lying down) and unrestrained, while the last was bound with ropes and gags, preventing him from speaking.

"How many surprises do we have now?" Yukari moaned. "I am just tired of them."

Still in his bandages, the new man growled, trying to get up. Saori and Miho both pushed him down gently.

"You still are injured," began Miho. "You have to-"

"But that traitor!" he roared, then winced. "How dare you use my name!"

He winced again, then lied down to rest.

"There is no point in fighting," Miho said sternly. "We all want to leave this land."

"So," Erwin interjected, glaring at the bound man. "This man essentially stole your identity, right?"

The injured man nodded. Indeed, both the new man and the "Mo" impersonator looked virtually identical, down to even wearing the same dress. However, the real Mo had a few gashes surrounding his face, as if he was slashed at, while the fake Mo had a virtually clean face, albeit with more wrinkles on the forehead.

"Let me get this straight," Yosef said, with a face as confused and angry as the girls. "Mo, you're the actual Mo, but your 'friend' here betrayed you, and tried to use your identity, down to even your own personal story, right?"

Mo nodded, furious still.

"And you," Yosef said with a growl, facing the Mo impersonator. "You're actually Usamah, so why did you do that?"

He was silent, although he was growling. It was obvious that his plan was foiled.

"I know why," Mo retorted, trying to get up, only to be laid down again by the girls. "We both looked like, but we're not even that close in terms of beliefs."

"Aren't you both Palestinians?" Miho asked with a concerned eye.

"We are," he replied. "But no, we actually are divided."

"Eh?!" the girls responded with surprise.

"I thought there is only one Palestine," Yukari noted.

"You are right to a point," Mo answered. "But we are divided into two territories: the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. To be honest, each is ruled by a totally different government. Fatah is the government that controls the West Bank, while Hamas controls the Gaza."

"Hamas?!" Erwin gasped. "A terrorist group?!"

The girls tensed, then many glared at Usamah.

"It's more accurate to say that there are 'two' Palestinian groups," Mo explained. "You see, in an effort to help unify causes, the two governments decided to send in the best of their men. Like Israel, we heard some rumors about something that was going to happen in South America, so we entered. Then, the Apocalypse happened, and long story short, our differences led to our fall."

"But how is that possible?" the girls asked.

"$% #$%#!" Usamah roared through his gags, causing both Shinobu and Noriko to start wrapping his mouth even more. His roars choked into gurgled mumbles.

"You see," Mo explained, while the girls were restraining Usamah in order to prevent him from interrupting. "In general, the Fatah is more willing to reconcile with Israel than the Hamas, which does not sit well with it. The Hamas, by contrast, wants to destroy Israel by any means necessary. Long story short, due to conflicts in how to rule over Palestinians, and how to deal with Israel, Palestine is divided."

"Is that why Palestine is a mess right now?" Erwin asked.

He nodded, as the girls struggled to restrain Usamah, who was kicking about. However, the taller, more robust girls merely shrugged the blows, and finally bound his limbs, so that the best he could do was just wiggle like an insect trapped inside of a Venus flytrap.

Both Yosef and Mo chuckled at the sight.

"I guess that you're from the West Bank?" Yosef asked.

"Yes," he replied. "But that does not mean that we're friends with Israel. However, right now, Miho is right; there is no point in fighting each other, since we're essentially alone. I prefer to leave this continent, rather than to fight you."

"Thank you," Yosef replied. "And I will leave you alone as well. But, why will Usamah try and steal your identity?"

"You see," Mo said. "We Palestinians were actually winning. We managed to defeat you all, so that your scientists had no choice but to lock that garage, which had your best weapons, or so we heard. Unfortunately, as we continued to fight and win, our men started to turn against each other."

"All that started," Miho said with a serious face. "Was just because of how to deal with Israel."

He nodded, and even Yosef sighed in response.

"We had that weapon," Mo admitted. "Which most of us did not even know we had. However, long story short, a few Israelites managed to blow it up, obliterating it beyond recognition. Soon after, we Palestinians started to argue about Israel. With words, then..."

He shook his head.

"...with guns," he finished. "Then, after realizing what had happened, Usamah decided that he did not want an 'Israel sympathizer' and tried to assassinate me. I told him that I was never that; I simply disagreed with him and the Hamas' way of dealing with Israel."

"Which is by turning Gaza into nothing more than a warzone," Erwin bluntly replied.

"You sure know a lot about European politics," he noted.

"I like to study that field," Erwin admitted. "From what little I know, that area was British Palestine, and the Peel Commission, which I heard from one of you, essentially noted that there was a conflict between Jews and Arabs in that area. Thus, the Commission essentially decided to split the land, giving one to Jews and the other to Arabs."

The two free men nodded, while the last one tried to break out of his restraints.

"In other words," Miho spoke. "One major reason between Israel and Palestine is over ownership of the lands. However, another is that Palestine is actually divided into two groups."

All three men nodded, including Usamah, with equal passion.

 **"But is there a way to negotiate this conflict?" Miho asked.**

 **"You sure sound overtly optimistic," Mo remarked, sighing. "But since you have helped to keep your group alive, I guess I will be blunt with you: it will be a miracle if you can even bring two radically different peoples to agree something for once."**

Somehow, Usamah managed to move the gag from his mouth, moving it down with his lips. His cracked lips were visible as he shrieked.

"Between us and that Israelite?" he retorted, causing a few girls near him to elbow him. "Uf! You dare to #$ #$#$!"

"Between me and _you_ ," Mo retorted back, as the girls put an even tighter gag on him, almost choking his throat.

"Alright-alright," Miho said, trying to calm the tension. "So, I want to make sure...all three of you are here in South America, on some secret missions that did not work out, and now you all are trying to escape."

"Just like you all," Yosef said. "However, you girls have to stay here."

"Huh?!" everybody around him gasped.

"Look at yourself," he replied plainly. "Can you go back to your normal lives again, with yourselves?"

The girls fidgeted, as they stared at each other, then down at the men. Once again, the girls forgot that they were indeed different, standing way taller than usual.

"Oh," the girls noted.

Yosef sighed.

"There is a way to reverse it all," he curtly replied.

All of the girls around him crowded up to him, staring with eyes wide.

"REALLY?!" they gasped.

"The garage," he replied, stunned at the sudden attention. "Well, at least what I've heard. At least something's better than nothing."

The girls then ran towards the garage, where the Leopon Team and some of the members of the Engineering Department were trying to remove the lock. A few brought the men behind, struggling to half-carry, half-drag the rebellious Usamah.

"Man!" Nakajima groaned, sitting on a log nearby, panting. "This is the hardest door we've ever dealt with! Even fixing tanks was nothing this hard!"

"It's Israeli defense," Yosef said, as he came over to inspect the lock. "Hmm, good news: there is only one lock. Bad news: this is the only way to get in."

The girls groaned.

"Do you even know about this?" groaned Saori.

"But that lock looks simple!" Nekota noted. "Yet...it looks familiar."

"Like in video games?" he asked.

"Yeah!" Nekota and her group roared in agreement, then blinked.

"Huh?"

"We got it from some video games," Yosef admitted. "I don't know how, but some scientists got inspired by some elements in games, and one of them was this lock."

The girls blinked, then stared at it.

It looked like a plain, steel lock, down to its classic keyhole. However, something sparkled on the surface, as if it was unusually well-glossed.

 **"May I see?" Miho asked.**

She then got a lock pick from one of the girls, who stood by to watch. Everybody, including the three men, watched as Miho dealt with the pick.

"Hmm," Miho wondered. "Yosef-sama."

"Yes?"

"Did they add another security measure?"

"Uh..."

He scratched his head, trying to remember.

"I have a feeling," she said, as the lock clicked. "That this is a little too easy..."

 _Click._

She then slowly opened the door, which creaked with a groan.

"How did you open it so easily?" Nakajima began to speak incredulously. "I used that same-AHHH!"

Everybody screamed, as something long and black suddenly jumped towards Miho. In defense, she made an X-block with her arms. Whatever it was, it shot at her left arm, and Miho instinctively ripped it away. The serpentine object made a weird snarl, before disintegrating in her right hand.

"Huh?" everybody gasped. Miho blinked.

"Are you alright?!" Yosef shouted, immediately taking her left arm to check it.

"What was that?!" the girls screamed, as they backed away.

"What did your scientists do?!" Mo uttered. "If that was a defense system, it's the strangest one I've ever seen!"

Yosef continued to inspect her arm.

"No bite marks," Yosef muttered. "And...I don't know. She did not warn me about this...wait..."

He thought deeply, as the people around him watched with intent. All of the more than 300 girls eventually crowded around, watching the spectacle unfold.

"She..." he spoke. "She...said something about the 'right person' will open the door. That person will be the only one who can open...but she did not tell me who or why."

"Whatever it is!" Momo suddenly interjected. "Let's just get in and take what we need!"

"Who's the impatient one now?" Mo grumbled.

"I am Momo!" she retorted. "Not Mo!"

"Am not."

"Am too!"

"Am not."

"Am too!"

"Am not!"

The girls watched with a little curiosity, as two unlikely people were arguing against each other.

"Wait," Yosef said, as he squeezed her left arm. "L-look!"

Everybody stared. Two whitish marks started to appear, looking like two arcs that intersected with each other. On one of the ends, the lines extended beyond the meeting points.

"It looks like a mouth," Hana remarked.

"You mean lips," Mako corrected her.

"It looks cute," Yuuki of the Rabbit Team remarked.

"Like a fish!" Aya of the Rabbit Team noted.

All of the Ooarai girls suddenly twitched, then sweated a little.

"Are you all alright?" Yosef and Mo both asked.

The girls looked at each other, not wanting to talk about _that_ dance...the Anglerfish Dance.

"Oh," Yosef noted. "The...marks are gone."

 **He said "marks," in order to avoid using the word "fish." However, the fish-like mark looked familiar.**

"Where did I see that?" he pondered, as the girls started to file into the garage, in order to loot for something.

A few of them booed.

"Not much?!" Yosef asked in surprise, entering it. Mo casually walked inside, while Usamah tried to unbind himself.

"Yeah," Mo admitted in disappointment. "Not much."

Indeed, except for a few weapons and piles of paper, the garage was virtually empty.

"Wha-what..." Yosef gasped, kneeling down on the cold, concrete floor of the building. "I-I ex-expected...more."

"What a treasure trove," Mo sarcastically remarked. "To be honest, is this a trap of sort?"

Suddenly, Yosef remembered.

"Gotcha!" he roared, causing others to jump, his golden-brown hair jumping along with the girls. "I remember now!"

He dashed towards the lone desk, filled to the brim with files.

"These are all fake!" he declared, rummaging through.

"Huh?!"

"Only one of them is real!" he answered, rummaging still. "Let's see...ah!"

He took it out. It was a single red folder.

"What is it?" multiple girls asked.

He flipped through its content, and took out a sheet of paper. He read it, his face frowning with each sentence.

"So," he noted. "This was just a garage, one to distract the enemies-wait, this garage has a 'key' of sort. We need that key, and then we can-"

"What's this?" a few girls came forwards, interrupting his train of thoughts. Everyone looked.

It looked like a metallic backpack, with what looked like long, steel poles and other mechanisms on it.

"A PFA!" Yosef uttered. "Portable Field Artillery! It was an experimental weapon; in that form, it is easy to carry. However, in its other form..."

The girls dropped it down, and Yosef knelt down to check. He pressed a single red button, and the thing twitched, then buzzed. A few girls nearby jumped, as the "backpack" came alive, constructing its own poles and metal parts together, gradually becoming a howitzer with leg supports.

The girls stared in awe.

"Unfortunately," he noted. "It can only support a 75-mm artillery, and it's extremely heavy to carry."

He then pressed a green button, causing it to fold back into a smaller, portable form. He struggled to lift it up, then gasped, dropping it down.

"But you girls can lift it up," he noted. "Can you?"

Miho blinked, then picked it up, like it was a light bag (Yosef's jaws dropped). She then handed it over to a few girls, who then kept it for safekeeping.

"Anyway," Yosef said, clearing his throat and checking his paper. "Based on this, there are more safe-keeps and vaults, with some more important than others."

"I hope that they have more stuff," Mako mumbled. A few others, including Mo, agreed.

"Hey," Yosef said. "It's not my fault; my forces easily evacuated long before the meteors even fell."

The girls blinked, then gasped.

"Wait a minute!" Miho said. "Does that mean that the Israel...may already know about the Apocalypse before anyone else did?"

Yosef blinked, then gasped.

"I believe so!" he gawked. "Because the last scientist, before she passed away, admitted that 'you will see the truth' when...wait, I remember she said a password!"

"What is it?!"

"32128-942483," he replied. "She said that three times."

"And?"

"And she said that a place called Kasikasima has a secret vault," he replied.

The girls gawked.

"Let's go there!" Miho declared.

 _Grr..._

Multiple growls echoed, not only from Hana's stomach, but also from other girls and even the three men.

"Well," Hana admitted. "How about we go there, eat, and then start from there?"

* * *

 **The girls' current camp**

 **Kasikasima, Sipaliwini District, Suriname**

 **12:00 PM; February 26, 20XX**

All of the girls returned back to the camp, and settled down again. Although they wanted to find the secret vault, the girls in the camp already prepared a lavish lunch, and the aroma was overwhelming. It was set up like a buffet, with lines after lines of tables, each filled with platters of food and one or two pairs of tongs for each. All kinds of food were displayed, set into five main lines of tables:

MEAT

VEGGIES

SEAFOOD

FRUITS

MRE

"Why do we have MRE?" Yukari asked a little nervously.

"It's the only one with rice," one of the cooks admitted.

"Oh," Miho and her teams replied.

"I don't eat pork," Yosef politely said, sweating nervously at the feast.

He, Mo, and even Usamah all stared at the MEAT section, lined with all kinds of steaks, barbecued pieces, and all kinds of morsels fit for a king. The girls butchered and prepared a variety of animals, most of them strange to them.

"We don't really know what we got," one of the cooks admitted. "Other than some variations of 'cows,' 'pigs,' and 'chickens,' we don't really know."

"Which ones are pigs?" Yosef asked, which was on all three men's minds.

"Ah," the cook admitted. "Sorry, but we touched all of the meats, except for seafood."

All three men groaned. No meat for them, but the aroma was overwhelming.

"Why?" Yuuki innocently asked, coming over with a plate of pork chops.

"In our religions," Mo explained, gulping. "We cannot eat pork, or anything touched with pork."

"Why?"

"Pork is dirty."

"Why?"

"Pork is...eh..."

"They're Japanese," Yosef said, groaning. "Unless they're Muslims, Jews, or whatnot, they won't know."

They all went into the seafood line, and grabbed as much as they could.

"Sardine, tuna, mackerel," Yosef noted. "And salmon-salmon? Wait, are salmon native to South America?"

"Who cares?" Mo retorted, taking as much as he could. "At least something's better than nothing."

"Quite true," Yosef replied, taking some.

"Yosef-sama!" Miho called out, waving her hands. "Please come over here! We have a meeting!"

"Coming!" both Yosef and Mo replied, walking with their full plates. Usamah grumbled, but walked with the group, ropes behind him, as his captors carried his food for him (avoiding the meat line to avoid cross-contamination).

"I wonder why these men avoid pork," Shinobu whispered.

"Maybe they hate pigs," Akebi remarked back.

"Because it makes them fat?" Noriko innocently asked.

"Eh..." Shinobu opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She also did not know why, so she let the topic go.

* * *

 **An hour later...**

The meeting was nothing special, just some random talks and remarks about everything that had transpired, plus the secret vault. Empty plates lied scattered around the tables that they sat on. Some of them, especially the three men, were reclining in their seats, groaning.

"That was amazing," Yosef said, hiccuping.

"Oh boy..." Mo groaned. "I am stuffed."

"So am I," Usamah moaned. Nearby, Noriko and Erwin both kept an eye on him, since he was untied. However, he was too full to even make a move, and the girls let him rest.

"But where could it be?" Miho wondered nearby, as the conversation continued.

"You mean the vault?" Yukari asked.

Overhearing that, Yosef gasped and got up.

"I know how it looks!" Yosef said with a bright smile, then groaned. His stomach was still full.

"Hold it please," Miho said with a small giggle, as the girls went to the men. Some of the girls, skilled in first aid and medical skills, tended to Mo, ensuring that he was alright. He was much better now, and could move freely, albeit with caution, as much of his body was covered in bandages. Meanwhile, the girls bound Usamah, who grunted in disdain.

"According to the scientist," Yosef said, as he got up and walked more cautiously. "Only an IDF soldier like I will recognize it. So, I am willing to find it out!"

"W-wait!" Miho called out, as he started to walk away. "You don't have to do it so fast!"

"Every minute counts," he said with a more serious face. "I mean, I have seen enough lives lost already, so I don't want to see you all suffer."

The girls were silent after that. He was right, so they followed him. After the lavish feast, the non-Senshadou girls multiplied again, causing many to suspect that feasting somehow helped to stimulate the duplication process. Now, there were over 1,000 girls in the camp. Of them, over 200 followed Yosef.

"Can you just tell us?" Saori asked, as some girls stayed behind to clean up.

He shook his head.

"I cannot really explain it," he said. "I know when I will see it."

They continued to follow, as Yosef walked for a while, then stopped. He then checked a nearby cliff, would shake his head, then walk again. He did this again and again.

"I wonder what he's looking for," Mo wondered.

"We'll have to see," Miho admitted.

"Must be a trap or something," Usamah grumbled, who once again managed to tear out the gag with his mouth.

Sodoko groaned.

"Can we get this morn somewhere else?" she retorted. "I think he's bad enough already!"

"What about me?" Mo asked. "I am a Palestinian, like him."

"But cut from a different cloth," Sodoko declared. "I will let Nishizumi-san to deal with you. In the meantime, Duck Team! Take him and follow me!"

The Duck girls and some girls around them agreed, and moved him away. They followed Sodoko, and came upon a different part of the camp. In this area, there were plenty of girls now, but the mood felt different.

Nearby, some 20 girls were digging something into the ground, while nearby 12 girls were examining chains and ropes. In the middle of it all was a single wooden pole.

"What is this?" Usamah asked, his gag removed by one of the girls.

"Your personal prison," one of the girls there smirked, whipping out a set of...rough-looking ropes.

"Torture will not break me!" Usamah declared.

"Oh," one of the other girls at that prison said, with a sneaky grin on her face. "But this one will."

She directed with her hands, and nearby a crane (which they made from some spare metal parts) groaned and roared, as it carried something on its hook.

He gulped.

"I think you'll be hungry," the prison girl said, smirking as a piece cooked pork chop dangled right next to the pole. "You are free to eat it."

"No-no-no," Usamah gulped.

The girls giggled.

"That's the only thing we'll do to you," Sodoko said, smirking. "Be glad that Miho was kind enough to leave you alone. Don't worry; we humans get used to smells after a while."

"I should never have spoken up..." he groaned, as the girls bound him to the pole, and left him there, with the pork chop as his only companion. "Allah, please help me..."

Sodoko rolled her eyes, but smiled.

"Girls!" she commanded to the prison managers and workers. "You know what to do. Treat him well, avoid giving him anything he hates, but keep that pork piece there, but replace it in order to both keep it fresh, and to keep HIM on edge. And watch him-VERY carefully!"

* * *

 **A few hours later...**

After that, the girls continued to follow Yosef, who was walking around and around the mountain and its surroundings. Hours passed, and the Sun grew stronger since it was a tropical area. However, the girls started to notice that they were dressed in their usual uniforms, and were NOT bothered by the heat.

"We're really dressed for Japan," Saori said. "But I don't feel any cooler, or hotter."

"Must be because of magic," Mako replied. "I mean, that means that I don't need to worry about clothing."

"I think we should still care," Miho said. "Because here, danger is everywhere."

The girls then sliced around the vegetation with their blades, while Yosef simply marched on, unbothered by the dense foliage.

"Is he even aware?" Yukari gasped, struggling to free herself from a vine that entangled with her hands. "I know that Israel has no jungle, but he's traversing like a pro!"

"I believe that he's excited," Saori noted.

"She's right," Miho said, pointing. "He must have found it."

The group then stopped at a small clearing. In front of it was a colossal cliff, with some weird edges and what looked like former cave entrances, now blocked by debris. Yosef, however, was not touching the cliff.

"What's he doing?" one of the girls asked, as they stared.

Yosef appeared to be doing something, waving his hands around in a ritualistic manner. Soon, however, he raised his voice, and the girls could tell that he was speaking not one, not two, but three different languages. He spoke one stanza in a language, then spoke another in the second one, then third with the last. He then continued this for a while.

"What's he saying?" Mako asked Saori.

"I have no idea," she replied.

"Is he saying something like 'open sesame'?" asked Aya.

"I don't think so," Azusa said. "He's not speaking in two words, but in complete stanzas, as if he's saying a poem."

"32128-942483."

"And he said the password," Sodoko retorted. "So wha-WAH!"

The girls made various responses, from gasps to screams, as the "cliff" started to shake, and opened up like a colossal doorway. Even Mo gawked.

"Welcome to one of our secret vaults," Yosef declared, turning around with a smile, as if he was a circus leader introducing to the audience. "And-hey, where is Usamah?"

"We decided to keep him away," Sodoko said.

"Ah," Yosef said, nodding. "Thank you, eh..."

"Sono Midoriko," Sodoko replied. "I am officially Miss Sono."

"But others call you-"

"No-no-no!" Sodoko said, waving her hands. "I am MISS SONO!"

"Are you alright?" Miho asked. "Sodoko-san?"

Sodoko made a face up to the sky, then sighed.

"Boy!" she groaned. "I should have enforced that!"

"Hey," Yosef said, shrugging. "Aren't we allies? Or maybe I am a little too 'manly' for you?"

Sodoko became red in the face.

"She likes you," one of her friends, Pazomi, flatly replied.

"NOOO!" Sodoko roared, causing many girls to giggle, as she fumed.

"I guess so," Yosef replied, walking into the cave. "Since there are only three men against a few hundred in this wilderness, and let's get in here! I have more to show!"

The others then entered, and found themselves inside of a tunnel, which looked partially excavated and well-lit by old-fashioned lightbulbs.

"This place has not changed," Yosef's voice echoed in the distance. "Good!" Girls, follow me please!"

"Wait up!" the girls replied, as they traversed through the tunnel, which went up...and down...and up...and down.

"How long is this?" Saori groaned, while Sodoko was still red in the face.

"It feels long," Yosef replied, as he kept checking the tunnel around. "Because it is designed to confuse any outsider who dares to come in. In fact, this tunnel not only has a dead end, but also traps around."

"Traps?!" the girls gasped.

"Be glad that I am here," Yosef replied. "Only in the presence of a Jew is this place safe."

"This place has a detector?" Mako asked, eyes a little wide open.

"Yes," he replied. "Although I cannot point that out, since they are hidden, there are cameras that recognize me, because of my uniform AND my voice."

"So that means!" Miho gasped. "That any IDF soldier who is alive is part of this secret system?"

"Yes," he grimly replied. "Now, it all makes sense; before coming here, the leaders told me to keep my uniform on, and spoke multiple times into specific microphones. This is the reason why."

They continued to traverse.

"Good!" he suddenly said, stopping. "I found it."

They stopped in front of a part of the tunnel. Although it looked like the rest, it had a few weird bumps. He pressed one of them, and another door opened, this time away from the girls.

They gasped.

In front of them was a vast cave interior, looking more like a magical ballroom. The clear pool in the middle radiated out all kinds of light, as if there was a light from above. Indeed, the floor itself, where there was no pool or water, looked like octagonal plates that fit together perfectly. In the middle of the cave, however, was a true sight to behold: a golden circle on the floor, with what looked like golden orbs, hanging by strangely glowing chains, spiraling up towards the ceiling like the DNA double helix (except just one, not two).

"Is this the vault?" Miho asked, as the others gazed at the marvel.

"Yes," he replied, walking towards the golden center on top of the plates. "That's the staircase to the vault, and it looks like it will open right close by your camp."

"How do you know all of this?" Saori gasped.

"I only saw them in pictures," he admitted. "But since I have seen them so many times, my memory still recalls them all. And ah, Miss Nishizumi."

"Hai?"

"Use your left arm to touch the balls," he said.

"Oh! O-OK."

Obediently, she followed him, and looked up. The golden balls had a feeling of both awe and power, as if they were pulsing with something. They all glowed a strange but comfortable light. In the middle of the spiraling pattern, the ceiling above looked like a circular gate shut.

"Can you touch them?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied, snapping out of her trance to reach out. As soon as she touched the nearest ball, her left arm pulsed, as if something was inside.

"Ouch," she winced. "So-wah!"

It shook, then a golden plank shot out of it. Although she did not get hit, it was very close to her stomach.

"Ah, sorry," he admitted. "I forgot that the balls do those; they are actually stairs, and somebody with the 'key' can activate it. Apparently, the serpentine thing that 'attacked' you was really a secret key to activate this vault."

"And then?" Miho asked, as the other girls gazed at her, as she continued to do the same with the other balls.

"After that," he replied, as more stairs appeared. "The 'key' should disappear, and your arm will be back to normal."

"Why is the key a type of snake-thing?" Yukari asked.

"I don't know," Yosef admitted. "I was NOT told many things. It's obvious that my superiors worked, assuming that they can survive. When they realize that it was not possible, the last scientist told me as much as she could."

"And this is why you know this place and all?" Mako asked.

He nodded, as Miho continued to climb up the stairs, all the while reaching out to the golden balls. Fortunately, they were all on the left side of her, so that it was easy for her to touch them. Only Yosef climbed up the stairs, as the others were hesitant.

"Don't worry," he called out to them. "Please climb up, even you, Mo."

Mo and all of the girls blinked, then followed up. Soon, they reached the top.

"What's next?" Miho asked.

"Look," he said, pointing at her left arm.

She looked. The strange imprint was gone, and she sighed in relief.

"Thank you," she replied. "It feels like it's gone."

"You're welcome," he said, as he started another chant in his languages.

"Here it goes again," Sodoko began to speak. "And I hope-"

Suddenly, Yosef made a hand gesture, apparently to silence her and others. They were quiet, and he sighed.

"I don't remember how to say the last two," he admitted. "I know how to say them, but the scientist said that they have to said in a 'way to testify to the world of Gentiles.'"

The others tilted their heads, confused.

"I know," he sighed. "She made that part vague. That was the very last thing, and I can tell that she really meant it. Even as she breathed her last...she spoke them very clearly and passionately":

"Samal Rishon!" he spoke, emulating the scientist's last words. "What is your name?"

"I am Yosef," he replied in his usual voice, as the girls listened. "Oh, and 'Samal Rishon' means 'First Sergeant' in Hebrew."

"I am so sorry for keeping so much from you and all!" he continued, emulating the scientist's words. "But I will tell you this, until Yahweh takes me away! This is something I will say now":

" _We will see and chill_

 _When they shall rise and till_

 _Woe to us agents of Logic_

 _Who shall die to Magic_

 _But see now!_

 _You will see the Truth_

 _You will know the Truth_

 _You will find the Truth_

 _You will see the way_

 _To testify to the world of Gentiles_."

The girls were speechless, puzzled by the vagueness of the poem. It was mysterious, yet it sounded so amazing. They were all silent for a few seconds, but the empty feeling inside of the cave made it feel like minutes.

"I think I know."

The others turned to look at Mo.

"What is it?" Yosef asked.

"I think you have to say what you're going to say," Mo said. "In English, in front of us, and the last two parts. There are more after the poem, right?"

The others blinked at him.

"That easy?" Yosef asked. "And how do you know that I had two more parts to that?"

"I just have this weird hunch," he replied. "Normally, I don't trust my gut feeling, but this one is so strong, that it's making me feel sick. Now that I say it, the feeling is instantly gone. I think...your God wants you to say it."

Yosef blinked, jaws gaping a little. He breathed, and spoke:

" _Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the Lord is one_."

He stopped, breathed again, and spoke:

" _The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want_."

He breathed.

 _"He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake."_

 _"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."_

He breathed again, as the girls watched him, attentive.

 _"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows."_

 _"Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."_

He made a bow, and the girls applauded in polite appreciate. Suddenly, the ceiling groaned, and opened up.

"Wow," everybody gasped, including Mo and Yosef.

"Thank you," Yosef replied, smiling.

"No problem," Mo spoke, as he and others went up. They saw that they were in what looked like rows after rows of doors, like a massive garage surrounding the empty center. As soon as the last girl went up, the ceiling/floor closed in, so that they were free to move around.

"Wow," the girls gasped.

"Amazing, right?" Yosef admitted. "To be honest, I did not expect this vault to be so gilded and fancy. I did not realize that the scientists and people in charge of these were so much into details."

"Is this the control board?" Yukari asked, pointing at a highly decorated panel. It looked like somebody embedded it with a variety of jewels and colorful lines.

"Don't push anything!" Yosef said, coming over. "Let me see...good. These are totally safe."

"So which buttons?" Yukari asked, and a few of her friends started to notice her trembling with excitement.

"Panzer high," Miho curtly replied, causing her to deflate but smile in appreciation.

"Panzer high?" Yosef and Mo both asked.

"Don't worry about it," Yukari replied, smiling back. "It's my thing; so, do you have tanks?"

"Let me see if we do," he replied, watching the buttons around. "Hmm...'Merkava'-ah! This is it!"

He pressed a button with that label. Suddenly, noises erupted, as five of the doors started to open up.

"We have other garage doors of sort," he told them. "I am going to open all of them. Girls, you are free to take them all; you will need them to survive. As the lone survivor of the IDF that I know of, you have every legal right to obtain them for your own use."

"And me?" Mo asked. "You know my country is still..."

Yosef took his hands, and shook them.

"You are not enemy," he said. "Just a neighbor who helped me out. Thank you."

"Thanks," Mo replied. "But I will avoid touching them, in order to avoid possible conflicts over a 'Palestinian having Israeli weapons' and that kind of crazy stuff."

"I respect that," Yosef replied, as the girls started to scream and gasp in excitement. "And how are those?"

"Are you kidding me?!" multiple girls screamed with delight. "Bu-but-but we're used to WWII-era tanks, not a modern one!"

"I will help you," he replied. "Miss Nishizumi?"

She came down, eyes wide open, as she also saw the gloriously advanced technologies all around.

"Are you alright to give us these?" she asked. Although she was calm, her face showed her amazement.

"Of course," he replied. "Since it was you who helped to keep this group together, why not?"

"THIS IS AWESOME!" Yukari's voice roared.

"And I think I will need to deal with that," Miho said, sweating a little.

"Leave her be," he replied. "Anyway, to be honest, this is more than I expected. I know that Israel has some advanced weapons, but to have these here was a revelation. That's one reason why I believe that Israel may have foreseen the Apocalypse."

"But how?" Miho asked.

He only shrugged.

"The last scientist alive before succumbing to her wounds," he replied. "Decided to spill the beans, and that's how I know all of this. Apparently, she and her group somehow knew that something will happen to this continent, and I know that everything here has the potential to change the world."

"You already are changing the world," Miho said, as she got up to help others. "Let's do this."

He nodded, and pressed more buttons. He then winced, as more girls screamed with delight.

"Let them enjoy them all," Miho said, giggling as she went away.

"Are you sure about this?" Mo asked.

"They're sweet girls," Yosef admitted. "I want them to enjoy them, because they will need them."

"What about you?" Mo asked. "What will you do next, once the girls no longer need your service?"

"What about you too?" Mo asked.

The two men stared at each other, then laughed.

"Well," Yosef said. "As Miss Nishizumi said it: 'Let's do this'!"

* * *

 **The girls' current camp**

 **Kasikasima, Sipaliwini District, Suriname**

 **5:00 PM; February 26, 20XX  
**

It had been only a few hours since finding the vault, but the camp had changed dramatically. With new weapons and more resources inside of the vault, the girls finally upgraded their reinforcements. Now, most of the girls were armed to the teeth, with each wielding at least one handgun, which looked like a semi-futuristic version of the Desert Eagle, with some glowing dark-blue stripes, pulsing with some kind of energy.

"Domination Eagle," Miho remarked, checking it. She clicked a button, and it immediately extended its barrel by at least twice the length. "The Israelites sure have advanced technology."

"Not this advanced," Yosef admitted, as he stood next to her, watching the whole settlement on top of the command center cabin.

Everybody went about their business, from farming and fishing to cleaning and even chatting around. However, they now had new technologies, such as a rice multi-purpose tractor, which planted rice seeds and watered them. The girls were enthusiastic about this one.

"They seem to love that machine," Yosef remarked.

"We are Japanese," Miho replied. "We haven't eaten rice in a long time."

"Ah," Yosef said, musing. "No wonder."

Some of the patrol units, however, wielded some cool-looking assault rifles, which looked like something from some sci-fi shows.

"Assault Destroyer," Miho noted. "An assault rifle with a variety of functions, from machine gun to sniper rifle. So, it's hard to realize that the Israelite military had a secret lab of sort here."

"Apparently they did," Yosef said, sighing. "But to see this much advancement...it got even me by surprise."

The two looked on. The Anglerfish Team was inside, just chatting around. The Turtle Team was outside, casually arguing something about "having too many sweet potatoes." Nearby, five girls were harvesting sweet potatoes, which were already ripe and huge; Miho giggled nervously, as an average one was apparently at least 12 cm in diameter, and at least 30 cm long.

"These crops sure grow shockingly fast," Yosef spoke. "So, this is what miracles look like..."

"Sorry?" Miho asked.

"In my religion," Yosef said. "I have read all kinds of miracles, but to see one at first hand was a shocker."

Miho smiled.

"I am surprised too," she replied.

"But you took it all well," he replied.

"We have to," she said. "I was amazed at first, then took the advantage. We do what we can; it sure helps us to survive well."

"I heard something about 'when life gives you lemon, make lemonade' or something," he replied, then noticed Miho's face drop her smile.

She looked away, in deep thought.

 _I guess she's thinking about family and friends_ , Yosef thought, so he decided to change the topic.

"Impressed with the vault?"

She replied with a firm nod, and her smile returned.

"Thanks for letting us use them," she replied.

"No problem," he said. "Since you helped me, why not?"

The two then continued their usual chat, while others continued their own business. Meanwhile, the Duck Team was out in the forest, hunting for any game. The Hippo Team was on patrol, wielding their rifles as they surveyed the surroundings. The Rabbit Team helped others out with some chores, such as sweeping the floor and fixing some clothing. The Mallard Team was trying to maintain some order, while arguing against some delinquents. The Anteater Team was toying with some electronics, trying to see if they could get some Internet connection for their games. The Shark Team was casually chatting with the delinquents, as they were mostly interested in slacking off, except to go out and help out with hunting and fishing; they were quite good with that.

The Leopon Team, however, was working with some girls to fix something. Inside of a garage that connected to the vault, they were working to restore five tanks, but none of them were of Ooarai. All of them were main battle tanks; specifically, they were Merkava tanks, the tanks of the Israel Defense Forces.

"These are unlike any tanks I have ever seen!" Nakajima replied. "I mean, I have seen M1 Abrams tanks and Type 10 tanks, but Merkava? These look cool!"

"But these are also different," Hoshino admitted, frowning at a set of paper. "Apparently, these are Merkava Mk.5, which is not even in the official Israeli reports. It's obvious that even the military in Israel knows nothing about this."

"Maybe so," Suzuki replied, using a wrench to fix some spots in a tank. "But these are still in quite a good condition; they just need a little polishing."

"But they feel cool too!" Tsuchiya yelled from a distance, smiling as she brought more supplies.

"They should be done in a few minutes," Nakajima said. "Then, the epic start."

* * *

 **10 minutes later...**

"They are ready now," Miho remarked, as she and others came to the garage.

More than 1,200 girls crowded to watch (the duplication process apparently was still in progress, although it had slowed down), as they stared in awe at the five tanks, lining next to the Ooarai Senshadou tanks. They all paled in comparison to the Israeli tanks, for they were all Merkava Mk.5 tanks, the latest in the line of the Merkava main battle tank line. Unlike the current Merkava variant, the Mk.5 looked to be about 1 m longer, 1 m wider, and 0.5 m higher. The Mk.5 variant also looked cleaner and shinier, as if they were the "tanks of the future." Indeed, they looked and were quite advanced.

"All kinds of crazy new features," Yosef introduced the tanks. "The Merkava tank is the main tank of Israel. We use them to defend our countries, and they are honestly one of the best in the world. In fact, unlike most tanks, our tanks can also be fitted to store infantry, in return for emptying the space for ammo."

The girls gazed in awe.

"However," Yosef said, musing. "Apparently, you girls have this 'magic' thing that does something strange. For one thing, it is very subtle; you don't consciously use it. Another thing: that 'magic' thing is the main reason why you all can use these tanks, because they are too advanced for your Senshadou...thing?"

The girls blinked at his choice of words.

"Don't you have Tankery or something in your country?" Yukari asked.

"We're too busy recruiting girls into the actual military," he replied. "In fact, there is no Senshadou in Israel; it's war."

All of the girls, except for the clone-girls, shivered.

"That sounds fun," one of the clone-girls remarked.

"How could you?!" one of the NON-clone-girls gasped.

"That's perfectly understandable," Yosef said. "There is something I need to tell you about that: before dying, the scientist gave me a partial but important document."

He took it out. It looked crumpled and partially burned, as if somebody tried to destroy it.

"She saved it," he admitted, looking at it. "And from this, I learned that you girls are part of a new race known as Senshazons. This and other documents are all in both English and in Hebrew, so I will translate them all for you. Apparently, this name was secretly but popularly used, because nobody thought that it was possible. Once the Apocalypse happened, however, somebody spread this knowledge around, but only inside of this continent. You Senshazons can actually control this duplication, but you better let it be freely used."

"Why?" Miho asked.

"Because you all need an army," he replied seriously. "In order to fight against the Selvagens or Salvajes."

The girls shivered, except for the clone-girls.

"So the clone-girls are designed for that purpose?" Miho asked.

"That's right," he answered. "I am still trying to rummage through the files, in order to understand you all, plus I will try and find out why a few of you cannot duplicate."

"But to be honest," Yosef continued. "These tanks are yours to take, but we have a good but limited amount of resources inside of the vault. Please use them carefully, until I find more directions to the other vaults."

"Thank you so much!" the girls replied.

"You're welcome," he replied, as Miho and Mo stood by him. Usamah, however, was nearby, in chains and grumbling through his gag. Since Miho wanted everybody to watch, the girls in charge of watching him brought him.

 **"Girls," Yosef continued. "I know that this may seem hard on you all and such, but make the most of your blessings. Yes, even though you may not be Humans in the technical sense, but I view it as 'blessed.' Use your blessings well, because you will need it. Maybe you will eventually be able to return home, normal and safe."**

The girls whispered enthusiastically about that part.

"Therefore," Yosef boomed. "Let us rise and help to make this base, which leads to you."

Yosef nodded to her, letting Miho clear her throat.

"Um-well," Miho fidgeted, trying to speak.

"Think Senshadou!" Saori quickly whispered, knowing well that Miho had a hard time speaking in front of crowds.

Miho blinked, and smiled back.

 **"Girls," Miho said. "Like in Senshadou, we move forward. We shall continue to build up this base, and move forward. We shall use the resources we have, and move forward. Just as Yosef said something about the 'valley of the shadow of death,' but let's not fear. Let us rise and hope that we have the strength and will to strive for the greater things of life. We move forward, and we will survive this valley, and enjoy the 'house of the LORD' of sort, and hopefully that it is all worth it."**

The girls shook, as if ready for her to say more.

"Umm..." Miho then fidgeted again, then sighed. " **Panzer vor!** "

"Ohhhh!" everybody (well, except Usamah) responded together with zeal.

 _This will be interesting_ , Yosef thought. _LORD, I pray that you will bless this group, and we'll see it from there. Amen._

He blinked.

 _Oh boy_ , he thought. _LORD, I have never prayed this much before; well, it's a new world out there, I guess._

He smiled, as he joined the other girls, as they prepared for the next day.

"Should we set up a shrine for your god?" Miho suddenly asked.

"Huh?"

"Well," Miho said. "In my culture, we set up shrines, honoring our gods. Since your god helped us, why not?"

He blinked, and smiled.

"Why not?" he replied, as they went back to their usual business, as the Sun slowly faded in the background. Despite that, it felt like the end of one day, and the beginning of the next.

Miho then watched the sunset, and stretched.

"Let's get through this," she said to herself, as Yosef went away to check his documents. "And...panzer vor."

* * *

 **So yes, I decide to avoid using a cliffhanger this time, shout-out to DarthFii for this. He made a great point that "over-using" it would be bad, and warned me against using it too many times. So, this is how I end it.**

 **Next chapter will explore more of the Israelites' secret technologies, and how they affect the girls' livelihoods. This will be interesting...**

* * *

 **And I asked a question in the previous chapter about who that woman was, the President of Brazil. I think that I will make her more significant, so here is the answer:**

 **Denma Clipark is based on two former female Presidents and a Presidential candidate:**

 **Dilma Rousseff-the first female President of Brazil; first female President in the world to be impeached and removed from office (breaking budgetary laws)**

 **-** This is implied in how Denma wanted to keep the parade going, just to make more money out of it.

 **Park Geun-hye-the first female President of South Korea and of the East Asia; impeached due to influence peddling by her top aide, Choi Soon-sil**

 **-** This is shown in the "strange lady" behind her, who was influencing her.

 **Hilary Clinton-the closest to becoming the first female President of the US**

 **-** Her e-mail scandal is one of the main factors for her loss, so the reference to e-mails is made.

* * *

 **And what about the whole "secret vault" idea?**

 **Clue: the password uses numbers as words:**

 **"DAooAT YICHUD" (the "oo" sign is supposed to be an infinity symbol)**

 **Alright, so reviews, likes, follows etc. are appreciated as usual, and let the girls be ready to rise and shine!**


	6. Chapter 6: Rise of a New Nation

**This time, it is basically describing what will become an ACTUAL base for the Ooarai girls.**

 **Hint: they will decide to give their new society a new name, but not yet...**

 **Hint again: if you don't care about that part, then check out down below; it will lead to a turning point!**

* * *

 **Rise of Senshazonia**

 **Chapter 6: Rise of a New Nation**

 **The girl's current camp**

 **Kasikasima, Sipaliwini District, Suriname**

 **6:00 AM; March 3, 20XX**

It had been only a few days, but the girls were already getting used to their environment. The camp was now more of a base than a mere camp, with a single, massive cabin right next to a cliff of the Kasikasima, hidden underneath dense vegetation. Smaller, one-story cabins dotted around the single cabin, and next to the cliffs. All of them were hidden beneath the jungle, so that it was quite easy to miss them. However, upon closer inspection, the buildings were a little fancy, with a mixture of both modern and traditional Japanese styles of architecture.

In this camp, hundreds and thousands of girls were going about, from farming to merely chatting. Since the discovery of their innate powers, the girls had been trying to both hone and restrict them. On the one hand, the girls successfully honed the duplication process, so that it was smoother and less nauseous; they also managed to restrict it, in order to curb population explosions. However, the camp's population was now reaching the 5,000th mark.

"OK," Miho said, as she and her teams sat together in their usual meeting room again. "We have finally managed to get a hold of some secrets. For one thing, our magic seems limited."

"Sad," Rum of Shark Team groaned, playing with a faux alcoholic bottle. "Since I want to multiply."

"Good thing," Mako said. "Or I will have to deal with multiple Saoris."

"Mako!" Saori growled.

"But Miho-san," Aya Oono of Rabbit Team said. "What are we going to do next?"

"Haven't you heard?" Azusa, her leader, groaned. "That we're here to discuss our next plan? Yosef-sama and Mo-sama are both out, looking for the new vaults?"

Indeed, they were. The two men went out a few days ago with a large battalion of girls, in order to track down another vault. Inside of the vault they found in Kasikasima, they found a tracking device, which looked like a primitive map tracker that showed a part of the Kasikasima's landscape, as if from a satellite. However, it was very blurry, and only showed the direction of the other vaults. Hence, the two men decided to set out on one direction.

"While we will go the other," Miho said. "We sent out a group to find that place. They haven't returned..."

Miho had a worried face.

"Don't worry about it," Saori said, comforting her. "At least they volunteered."

"But I am just going to be honest," Miho said. "They may be clone-girls, but they still have personalities, even souls. I don't want to just...let them go."

"They sure seem human to us," Anzu casually remarked, reclining on her seat. "Or maybe _Senshazon_ , whatever that could mean."

"Whatever that is!" Momo blurted out, slamming her fist on the table. "We have just built up a huge camp, got thousands of girls suddenly, and now we have weird technology and magic and all!"

"Calm down," Yuzu said. "Momo-chan, this is real life, you know."

"Don't call me Momo-chan!"

"Don't we call you that?" Rum asked. "Momo-chan?"

Momo made a face, and tried to say something, but sighed in resignation.

"We are still definitely ourselves," Hana remarked. "Yosef-sama said that we are Senshazons, but we still have not even figured that out much."

"What we do know," Miho said, pointing her finger on an old, colored map showing an area of Kasikasima and its surroundings (it was from a nearby tourist cabin). "Is that the area that we are on is called the Guiana Shield, which is famous for its high-rise plateaus called tepuis. These places are extremely hard to reach, so they will make for perfect campsites."

"As recommended by Yosef-sama," Ogin, the leader of the Shark Team, noted. "Plus, he said that a number of these plateaus have suddenly appeared. He said that a few even have natural ramps."

"How does he know so much?" Yukari asked. "But as he said, some people already foresaw what could happen."

 **"I heard that they even built a wall of sort in Israel!" Karina of Rabbit Team blurted out. "Is that true?"**

 **"Israel seems prepared for almost everything," Ogin remarked. "From rocket attacks to terrorist attacks to even zombie apocalypse? How do they know so soon so fast?"**

"Connections, I guess?" Saori inferred. "I mean, even Yosef-sama did not even know about the secret mission, except until one of the scientists admitted."

"Speaking of connections," Miho said. "Our communications altar is still charging up, and I did not finish my sentence..."

All of the leaders there sighed. Indeed, Miho had a bad feeling that her sister did not hear everything she said.

"I believe she knows not to tell anyone," Miho said. "Not even the UN, but remember one of the altars? It gave us warning."

"The warning altar," Hana remarked with a serious face. "It was because of that that we are even alive..."

The girls were in deep thought about that and its relatives...

 **The altars that came out all around were also a product of the Apocalypse. As soon as it occurred, strange altars popped out of nowhere. The girls already knew about the communications altar, which allowed Miho and her friends to contact with others, especially other schools and Maho. The other one was a teleportation altar, which allowed the girls to move from one place to another. The last one was a subtle one: the warning altar.**

"We just name them," Saori noted. "Based on what they do. It's only because we stumbled upon it that we are all even alive!"

 **She was right. The warning altar generally looked like small (about the size of a luggage bag), steel blocks on the ground. However, they were abnormally heavy for their appearance, and they had inscriptions on them. The girls trusted them, because they avoided conflicts by using them.**

"One of those altars," Miho said. "Warned us to keep together, and sure enough, we were almost separated."

"One another altar," Hana joined in. "Told us to shoot through a cloud of dust, and when I did, it destroyed one of the Salvajes that was in ambush."

"And again and again," Anzu declared. "After getting saved by those altars, they mysterious vanished, like other altars."

"Or destroyed," Momo remarked. "But speaking of them, they've been getting rarer and rarer as well."

"You're right!" the girls declared in agreement.

"And the last warning altar we used," Miho said. "Gave me two warnings: STAND AND DO THE RIGHT THING and DO NOT TELL THE UN."

"The first part was obvious," Anzu said. "The second part was weird."

The girls were silent, thinking for a while.

"Can we trust those altars?" Rum groaned, playing with her faux alcoholic bottle. "I mean, we just knew them."

"They helped us to survive," Ogin curtly replied. "One of them told you to duck down, and you avoided getting shot."

"Ah," Rum noted. "I see."

"And I wanted to punch one of those Salvajes!" Murakami, the tallest and biggest member of her Shark Team, grunted. "But Ogin-san told me to retreat, and sure enough...the thing I tried to attack transformed into..."

She shivered.

"You don't need to get into details," Ogin said. "What we do know is this: we have a camp here, we're getting help from Yosef, and we have something called magic."

The girls murmured in agreement.

"But we still don't know what it really does!" Saori said. "I mean, we just use it, much like energy to charge our phone and all, but we haven't had much time to even comprehend it!"

"Comprehend?" Yuuki of Rabbit Team asked.

"It means to 'understand,'" Mako replied.

 **"At least we know that we can trust Yosef-san," Hana said. "But this is my first time seeing an Israeli person. Had he not told me, I would have thought that he was American."**

 **"Don't all foreigners look like Americans?" Ayumi, the tallest girl of her Rabbit Team, asked.**

 **"No-no," Azusa said. "Some foreigners look like Americans, but others don't."**

"Israeli...American..." Miho suddenly mumbled.

"What's wrong?" the others asked.

"I think," she began. "I forgot some-"

 _Bzzzttt._

A strange buzz came outside.

" **Guardium!** " Miho gasped, getting out. The others also gasped and joined her.

The familiar, small UGV was at the front door, and cuddled up to Miho (if a car-sized vehicle could do that) when she came out, its hood rubbing on Miho like a dog licking its owner. Although a little dirty from going through the forests, the unmanned robotic car was still the same.

"You're here!" the girls declared, touching it like a lost puppy. "Where were you?"

"Yeah!" Momo growled. "You suddenly disappeared without a trace, and we...forgot you, too."

She looked dejected, realizing the irony of the situation.

"Cheer up," Miho said, rubbing on the hood of the Guardium. "Guardium, where were you, though?"

It said nothing, but cuddled up to Miho again, then took off in a particular road. A few seconds later, it reappeared, as if signaling them to follow.

"Guess it found something," Ogin remarked, stretching.

"Well!" Murakami grunted, clenching her fists. "Should we go?"

"That's...the direction where we were supposed to go," Sodoko noted.

"I guess it wants us to follow," Saori said. "But this early?"

"Hold on," Miho said. "Guardium, we'll follow you. But first: we need to get the five tanks ready."

"Our tanks?" Karina of Rabbit Team asked, excitedly.

"No," Miho said, shaking her head. Karina groaned.

"We need the actual battle tanks," Miho replied. "Leopon Team, get ready."

* * *

 **The girl's current camp**

 **Kasikasima, Sipaliwini District, Suriname**

 **9:00 AM; March 3, 20XX**

"Ready?"

Miho sat on top of her tank, her upper body above the cupola. However, she was not in her usual tank.

"Why can't we use our old tanks?" groaned Saori.

"Because these tanks are safer," Sodoko retorted. "And Yosef-sama said so."

"And because they're so cool!" Yukari squealed. "Although I like WWII-era ones better, since they are more interesting."

They were not driving in their usual WWII-era tanks, but in the Israeli main battle tanks: the Merkava.

* * *

 **Merkava Mk.5 Lev Ruach**

The Merkava Mk.5 Lev Ruach (Hebrew for "Wind Heart") is a secret upgrade of the Merkava Mk.4 Meil Ruach (Hebrew for "Windbreaker" or "Wind Coat"), the latest official main battle tank of the Israel Defense Force. The Merkava tanks are unusual in their design; unlike most tanks, they have their turrets a little to the back, a feature more common in self-propelled artilleries. This feature, however, allows more frontal protection (with the engine in the front), and also provides for extra room in the rear, allowing for extra cargo transport or even troop transport! The Merkava Mk.5, however, takes these features up to a whole new level; unlike the Mk.4, the Mk.5 has more space in the rear, so that the tank is better at carrying troops. However, although the Merkava Mk.5 is originally designed for use by Human soldiers, the new Merkava Mk.5 is now modified for the Ooarai girls' use.

The Ooarai version is still the same, except with magical enchantments. So far, the girls discover that their magic, which they are still figuring out, has modified the tanks to suit their own needs. In fact, it has undergone three significant changes: size, the electronic systems, and the interior.

* * *

"So," Miho said. "Yukari-san, do you know anything about Merkava tanks?"

"Only tanks from the Cold War era and before that," she admitted. "From what little I know, the Merkava Mk.1 is an Israeli tank based on the chassis of a Centurion tank."

"Centurion..." Miho suddenly mused, deep in thought. She was not listening to Yukari, who was in a minor "panzer high," more about the Centurion than about the Merkava.

 _"Miho-san!" a familiar voice echoed._

 _"Alice-san!" Miho replied._

 _"It's been a while!"_

 _"Hehe," both girls giggled._

 _"How are you doing?"_

 _"Not much; just learning to be heir to the Shimada style. But you are my friend, not enemy."_

 _"Thanks. Ah, wanna go to the Boco Museum?"_

 _"Of course! Stay alive!"_

 _"Of course, I have to!"_

"I have to..." Miho whispered to herself.

"Miporin?"

 **"Oh!" Miho said, snapping out of her train of thoughts. "So-sorry, so I do now recall what Yosef-sama said about the Merkava: it is designed first and foremost the survivability of the crew in mind. It has great protection in the front, it can be used to carry troops, and has a special active protection system called the Trophy, which is so effective that even the US military bought some of the system."**

Saori blinked, overwhelmed by the information dumped upon.

"Sorry," Miho said, giggling nervously.

"But this tank is different!" Momo's voice roared through a radio system.

She was right. The Senshadou girls were used to controlling WWII-era tanks, which lacked most of the advanced technology of modern main battle tanks. **However, the girls' strange magic had altered the tank in three important ways**. First, it made it bigger.

"A normal, current Merkava tank is about 7.6 m long, 3.72 m wide, and 2.66 m high," Miho remarked. "Plus, it weighs about 65 tons. But this tank is altered. Yosef-sama directed us to a scale to use it, and it was still the same weight, but the dimensions have changed. It's now about 8.6 m long, 4.72 m wide, and about 3.66 m high."

"Oh!" Yukari interjected. "It has increased by about 1 m all around!"

Second, the tank's electronic system and computers were greatly simplified.

"Funny," Azusa's voice echoed from the radio. "Yosef-sama admitted that he was afraid of teaching us this, because it was so complicated. However, our magic somehow instantly altered them all, so that all of these computers are quite easy to understand and use."

"Or maybe that we have gotten smarter," Sodoko's voice echoed.

"They seem a little TOO easy," Erwin's voice blared. "Modern tanks are normally complex to use, due to all of the computers and electronic systems, but our...magic made it so easy."

"Like a cheat code!" Nekota's voice blared.

Last but not least, the tank's interior was greatly altered, shocking even Yosef.

"When Yosef came in," Sodoko's voice echoed. "He was surprised at the roomy nature of the interior."

"It's because of magic," Miho said. "Normally, tanks of these size are not designed to have a lot of space, due to all of the armor and systems in place. However, our magic has somehow expanded the interior, without increasing the outside dramatically."

"Enough to stretch!" Saori shouted out, stretching. All of her seven-foot figure, including the lengthened arms and legs, easily spread out, without hitting any of the girls.

"What's this called again?" Noriko's voice echoed.

"Hammerspace," Nekota's voice answered. "It's basically a cliche or trope in fiction, especially games, in which characters can pull out objects too large to fit into bags and such. In this case, however, we are INSIDE of a hammerspace."

"Strange to believe that," Miho said. "But we will do what we can."

"You are surprisingly calm with this," Nekota's voice blared. "I mean, all that magic did...was make us feel so powerful and unreal...but you managed it so well."

Miho giggled.

"As Darjeeling-san will say," she replied. "Something about 'when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.' In this case, when life gives you magic, take advantage of it. So then, let's go."

Miho directed her team's tank, which pulled out first. The Merkava Mk.5 rumbled out, getting out of the garage of the secret vault. A crowd of girls watched from a safe distance, as they clambered to gaze at the tank. However, since **they were not meant to be permanently used, the girls did not put their team mascot symbols on the tanks; only a flag or two of the team mascots flew next to the cupola**. Miho's tank held not only her whole team, but also the Leopon Team. Since the tank's interior dramatically improved due to magic, nine girls easily fit inside of the tank.

Turtle Team drove in another Merkava, together with Rabbit Team. Hippo and Duck Teams shared another Merkava. Mallard and Anteater Teams' Merkava came out. Finally, Shark Team came out. Mallard and Shark's Merkava tanks had an extra number of their own club members: the Morals Committee and the delinquents respectively.

All five tanks rumbled past the crowd of girls, as some even cheered for them.

"Good luck!"

"Have fun!"

"Travel safe!"

"Be back soon!"

"Be back soon..." Miho pondered. "Ah, girls! Tell them to check out the communications altar!"

Some of the girls nodded, and ran off to check. Miho smiled; these girls were quite reliable, especially in this time. One of the girls gave her a signal, signifying that the altar was still activating.

Miho sighed.

"At least it's working," Miho said to herself. She then turned around, nodding at the Guardium that was waiting. Getting the signal, the Guardium revved up its engine, and then moved. Five tanks then followed in an arrow formation, traveling towards the Guardium, as they entered the jungle once again...

Suddenly, she remembered something, and turned around.

"Whew," she sighed in relief.

Behind her, a number of her fellow schoolmates were inspecting and taking care of their old WWII-era tanks. Miho smiled, as her team's Panzer IV Ausf H. shone in the sunlight above.

"Hopefully we can be back," she muttered. "Hopefully..."

* * *

 **Somewhere in the** **Sipaliwini District, Suriname...**

 **12:00 PM; March 3, 20XX**

"It's been hours!"

Multiple girls started to complain, not because of the heat, but because of the dreary long hours. Even though it was only about three hours since they started, the monotony of the jungle started to get on the girls' nerves. Same old jungles, same old vegetation, and same old animals roamed about. In the first hour, the girls chatted enthusiastically, with some even taking pictures of the surroundings.

"Look at those trees!"

"Cute animals!"

"Wow!"

Then, at the second hour, the girls quieted down, as they concentrated on following the Guardium...and on...and on.

On the third hour, some complaints started to fly.

"Where are we?"

"Are we there yet?"

"Come on!"

"Please be patient," Miho said calmly but seriously, silencing most of them. "The Guardium is still moving."

"Boo..." a few girls admitted.

"I know that it's tough," Miho said. "But once we find a way to get everything back to normal, maybe we can finally be home."

"And out of this twisted continent!" one girl shouted, causing others to agree.

Miho nodded in silent agreement. Suddenly, the Guardium buzzed, and it suddenly sped off.

"It found something!" Miho shouted into her radio. "Girls, let's go!"

"Yay!" multiple screams blared, as the girls revved up their engines, and followed. Five Merkava tank thundered by, scaring numerous animals, as they plowed through dense foliage like mere grass against lawnmowers. A few young trees even crashed down, crushed by the mighty tracks of the advanced vehicles. Meanwhile, the Guardium easily dodged and traveled through the same dense vegetation.

 _Bzztt! Bzzttt! Beep-beep-beep!_

Miho guessed correctly that it detected something, and the girls finally broke out of the jungle, and the Guardium stopped at a steep hill. It turned around, as if motioning them to watch the view.

All five tanks rumbled to a stop, and the girls looked, and gawked.

"Oh wow..."

Miho, however, said the one thing that they all agreed in mind, because what they saw was profound.

"That will be our real base," Miho began. "Girls, let's-"

RING!

"Huh?!" Saori's voice broke the silence, as she turned on the tank's radio system. "Moshi-moshi? Who is this?"

"It's me!" a familiar voice blared, panting audibly through.

"Yosef-sama!" the girls reacted.

"Sorry for the long delay," he spoke. "But at this vault, once again, I found only a few stuff. Fortunately, I have found a set of helmets! These and some communications systems are still here, fresh and great to use! That's why I am able to contact you!"

"Good!" Miho said. "Please bring them ASAP, because I think that we have found a better base!"

"Oh?"

"The Guardium that you had," Miho said. "Had found an even better base site than our current one. Let's move there."

"What about the old base?" Yosef asked.

"We should keep that one," Miho began. "Because-"

RING!

"Moshi-moshi?" Saori called, turning on another call. Unlike usual phones, the communications system inside of the tank (at least the magically enchanted one) allowed at least two calls to occur at the same time. Plus, it connected with other girls', so that others could hear clearly (it had both a public and private chat buttons).

"Finally got you!" two delinquents' voices roared simultaneously, causing some girls to jump.

"That's one of the delinquents!" Sodoko growled. "Or two."

"Who's the whiner now?" one of them taunted her. "I know you, you-"

"Tokata and Baba," Ogin's voice echoed, picking up her phone. "What's up?"

"Sorry about that! Tokata's voice blared. "But we had no choice but to escape our base!"

Everybody blinked, then gasped. Ogin's hand shook a little, before calming down.

"Wha-what?!" multiple girls screamed in shock. A number of girls held their hands over their mouths.

"Escape?!" Yosef coughed, thunderstruck. "Wha-what do you mean?!"

Miho and her friends could hear that Yosef's company also gasped.

"Good news!" Baba's voice echoed. "We all managed to escape, without losing a single life! Bad news: the enemies have just overrun our camp."

The girls gasped again, with some of them shaking.

"But-but how are you able to contact us?" Miho suddenly asked.

"We had to use the communications altar," Tokata's voice snickered.

"Without our permission?" Ogin's voice growled.

"Sorry ma'am!" the two delinquent voices answered. "But we had to tell you all, or else we're history! And those-oops!"

"Chica-chica-chicas bonitas!" a hideous grunt echoed from the radio. "I found you~yummy girls!"

Both Miho and Yosef's groups dropped their jaws.

"We had to use the altar to tell you all!" Tokata quickly replied. "But wehavetogonowbye!"

A roar echoed, and two girls' voices taunted at him, apparently dodging his attacks and running off.

Boom-boom-boom!

Multiple noises suddenly echoed from the radio, as rocks and debris suddenly fell down, crushing down the enemies in heaps of earth, their voices drowned by the ensuing cave-in.

Then, all was silent, as the girls reminisced on the unexpected turn of events.

"Good thing," Yosef's voice broke the silence, although he was clearly panting. "They sure knew how to get away en masse fast enough. Plus, they took advantage of the vault's dynamite and explosive systems, and blew up the entire areas."

"Why?" Azusa hesitantly asked. "Wait, tha-that was there?"

"The explosives do not exactly destroy the environment," Yosef's voice remarked. "Sort of like 'environmentally friendly' explosives, but I guess they are really magical. Long story short, those explosives that we found inside of that vault are designed to kill enemies, while preserving the beauty of the environment. I don't know how it exactly does, but it apparently did the job well."

"Wait!" Miho said. "Are you there?"

"Not really," Yosef's voice replied. "I saw the chaos from a distance; the vault I had somehow has some camera system. One of the cameras is eyeing our old base. The mountain and jungle are all safe and sound. The Salvajes, however, made short work of pillaging the whole settlement. Man, if your girls did not escape soon enough..."

Some of the more mature-minded girls shuddered, realizing what he actually implied, while others were innocent of the revelation.

"Should we..." Noriko trailed off.

"Don't worry," Miho said. "How about this? Our tank will go, and Anzu's will follow us. All three of you, drive your tanks back to the rest of our displaced members. Find them, and bring them here."

The teams in the other three tanks nodded, and drove off as commanded.

"I guess it's just us," Anzu said, eyeing their few companions: Anglerfish Team, Turtle Team, Leopon Team, Rabbit Team, their two tanks, and the Guardium.

The Guardium made noises again, as if impatient.

"We're coming," Miho said, as she drove off. "Let's hope that the new campsite is worth it."

"And stay safe please!" Yosef's voice blared again. "I will try and be there ASAP too."

"Be safe too!" she replied.

"I-wow, I will!" he said.

Saori raised an eyebrow.

"He was about to say something," she said suspiciously.

"At least he's trustworthy," Miho replied.

"No-no," Saori said. "I mean...whatever, let's just go."

* * *

 **The new tepui**

 **Kasikasima, Sipaliwini District, Suriname**

 **2:00 PM; March 3, 20XX**

"This definitely will be our new campsite," Miho said.

The girls came out of their tanks, as all of them gazed up at the spectacle once again. They saw it from a distance, but it looked even more formidable up close. It was a tepui, a type table-top mountain found in the Guiana Highlands of South America. However, this tepui was different from others. As Yosef taught them before, the Apocalypse caused drastic changes to the environment, and the changes were rather easy to see. For one thing, real tepuis had jagged cliffs and did not have natural ramps. There were tepuis, however, that arose because of the magical nature of the Apocalypse; these tepuis were unusual in having rather smooth cliffs, and they possessed some natural ramps, or some type of staircase-like projections, that allowed some limited climbing.

The tepui that they discovered had two ramps: one on the south, and one on the east. The girls were on the southeastern corner, and could see both ramps. However, they could see that both ramps were a little narrow, barely enough for a single tank to go up. Even then, the ramps looked a little...too jagged.

"I wonder if this tepui has more," Miho pondered. "If so, then we better check this. I have a feeling that this will be great."

"Plus," Azusa said. "It's a magical tepui, so that we're not destroying the environment or something, right?"

The others nodded, although Momo growled as if annoyed.

"Cheer up," Anzu said. "We're all stressed out already; even I am a little on edge, because of what happened at our former camp."

Miho then checked the tepui.

"Very high and steep," Miho noted. "Much like the Mount Roraima, but with two ramps to climb up. Can we move up the tanks?"

"They look possible," Anzu said, trying to sound optimistic. "Koyama~, can you try?"

"Let me see..."

Yuzu drove her team's Merkava up. At first, it worked smoothly up to the hundredth meter. At that point, the Merkava got stuck in something.

 _Brrr...bzztt...crack!_

"Oops," Yuzu gasped.

"Stop there!" Miho and a few girls shouted, as they got out of their tanks and went up. Nakajima and her team checked the Merkava's interior.

"Good news," she replied. "It's just a fissure beneath, which we can fix. But I see cracks like those..."

The girls looked up. Above the hundredth meter, the ramp now looked like a minefield, except with jagged rocks and spike-like projections instead of mines.

"...we'll figure something out," Miho said, as she and her friends worked together, lifting the tank barely enough to move it away from the spike that damaged it.

"Ouch!" Momo grunted, stretching her shoulders. "Boy, who would have thought that we are strong enough to lift a tank?"

Some girls blinked, then looked back at the tank.

"You are right," Miho said. "But for now, we have to focus on getting to the top..."

The girls looked around.

"How about the other ramp?" Azusa asked.

"We already checked," Noriko of Duck Team said, coming back from the other ramp. "It's no use; this one's a little smaller!"

Some of the girls groaned.

"Can we make a crane?" Aya of Rabbit Team suggested.

"If we have the right resources and equipment," Nakajima said. "How about the vault? Maybe it has some."

"Great idea!" Miho said. "Let's-wait, can you call Yosef-sama again?"

Saori nodded, and turned on the radio.

"Greetings!" a cheerful voice echoed. "Miss Miho, do you need something?"

"I want to ask you something," Miho said. "This tepui that I described to you...is magically created, right?"

"Right!"

"And the vault is also here, right?"

"Right!" he replied. "And trust that Guardium! It sure can sense those!"

"But wait," Miho said. "If the vault is already there, made by your people, then how is it there with a magically created landscape?"

"Huh?" he and a few girls asked, puzzled.

"A vault is manmade, right?"

"Right..." Yosef said, straining to listen.

"And some tepuis are magically created, right?"

"Right..."

"In other words," Miho said. "Does the vault somehow help to CAUSE some magical changes to the landscape?"

Silence filled the air, as the girls waited for an answer.

"Oh..." Yosef's voice echoed, deep in thought. "Now that you mention it, I remember more of the scientist's last words. One of them was something about 'reactors' and 'lab's secrets,' something that she barely explained to me. One thing that she said for sure: although there are multiple vaults, only a few of them have actual reactors to keep them active."

"Reactors?" the girls asked.

"Not nuclear reactors," he said. "But...the scientist did not explain to me, but she basically explained that you have 'hit a jackpot' if you find a vault that somehow is connected to a reactor of sort, and the one obvious sign is finding a colossal change to the landscape."

"Like a suddenly created tepui," Miho said, gazing up at the tepui.

"I think you did find it," Yosef said. "If that tepui is holding a vault, then I believe that it has a reactor. The reactor powers some lab or rooms, allowing for the creation of advanced...well, _magical_ technology or something. Boy, weren't my Israeli scientists a little crazy over this?"

"Thanks," Miho said, as she gathered up some girls to climb up the ramp. "We'll check the vault then."

"Be careful!" Azusa called out, as the group moved up.

"And stay safe!" Yosef's voice echoed from the radio. "I will try and contact more somehow..."

Miho nodded, as she took up her Anglerfish Team and Leopon Team up. Anzu and Sodoko also followed with them, as the others chose to stay behind, waiting for the rest of their camp to come.

"I hope it will be worth it," Momo grunted.

"It will," Yuzu replied. "Momo-chan, you're so _momo_."

"I am not!" she roared. "And what was that last part?!"

The other girls snickered, as the two enjoyed a friendly argument. It sure was good to relieve stress once in a while, after all.

* * *

 **The new tepui**

 **Kasikasima, Sipaliwini District, Suriname**

 **3:00 PM; March 3, 20XX**

"Not much," Sodoko grumbled.

The girls surveyed the top of the tepui, which was quite barren with think but black soil. The top stretched for miles on end, and the girls stared around.

"That was a nice hike," Nakajima said cheerfully, as she and others put down their belongings. "Strange, we should be tired by now, but I am not."

"Magic," Mako said plainly.

"But what does magic exactly do?" Nakajima asked, more as a rhetorical question.

"How about this?" Mako interjected. "What does magic NOT do?"

The girls were silent, as Mako made a great point.

"We'll figure that out," Miho said. "Somehow...Mako-chan, Sodoko-chan."

"Hai?" both asked.

"Do you see anything up here?"

The two looked around, in part because Miho knew that they had sharper eyes than most of the girls in the group.

"I see an altar," Mako suddenly voiced, and the girls looked at where she pointed.

A single altar was in the middle of the tepui, far away, shining a little in the sunlight.

"Let's go," Miho said, as they all walked towards it.

The altar looked quite odd. It had a golden circle in the middle, and on top was a weird...sculpture? It looked like some golden balls were locked together by golden rods, and sculpted together to appear like...a tree.

"What is this?" Saori asked the obvious question.

The girls then walked around it, observing it. The golden balls and rods connected with each other, forming a tree-like shape. However, it was not in the shape of a conifer or even a typical tree; rather, it looked as if somebody trimmed a tree, in order to make it look almost like a candle's fire.

"It looks...Jewish?" Miho speculated.

Ring-ring!

Startled, the girls turned to look. The Guardium, which climbed up along with the girls (albeit with help, as the ramp's surface was quite rough), made a familiar noise.

"What's wrong?" Miho began to ask, but gasped.

Suddenly, its hatch opened up, and a video screen popped out. After a short static, the screen turned on.

"Hello-hello?" Yosef's voice echoed, as his face appeared. "Ah, this is working!"

"Yosef-sama!" the girls cheered, as they crowded up to the Guardium.

"OK," he said. "Finally I got this working! How are you all doing?"

"Great!" the girls replied.

"And you?" he asked at Miho.

"I am alive and well," she said with a smile. "But I have a question, no two: one, how did you activate this?"

"Guardium units are actually not designed this way," he explained. "I found this video device, and suspecting that it could work, I tried. Plus, the scientist told me that this Guardium was 'special' or something. So, it was a guess, and it worked!"

"Ah," Mako noted. "So, this Guardium is specially designed to have a video screen?"

"Yes," he replied. "But this is an UNUSUALLY advanced feature for a Guardium UGV. This one, however, seems to be more special than usual."

"No wonder it's with you," Miho said, chuckling. "Anyway, last question: What is that altar?"

The girls moved out, allowing his face to see the altar. He screamed.

"WHAT THE?!" he roared. "Wow! You found it! That's definitely a REAL vault!"

"Eh?"

"There are multiple vaults in this area," Yosef explained, panting a little from shouting. "But most of them are either empty or have little in them. However, each secret company or so has a specific marking to distinguish one from the other."

"By that," Mako said nonchalantly. "You mean that each nation with a secret agenda has a peculiar marking for an actual vault of secrets?"

Miho mused on that point, as he continued.

"You are spot on," Yosef said, sighing. "The scientist, before she passed away, admitted that there are 'multiple nations' out there that have set up secret vaults like Israel did."

The girls looked at each other with worried eyes. Miho gasped.

"Yes," he sighed again. "I know what you all are thinking: nations good and bad have set up their own secret vaults here in South America. Somehow, somebody overheard others, and on and on, so that secret agents from many nations heard about 'something big' will happen. I honestly thought nobody will believe it, but here we are. My nation Israel apparently has decided to set up multiple vaults, but ONLY one is the real vault. It has that symbol."

The Guardium opened another side, and an arm came out, pointing with its fingers at the tree-like sculpture. Hana and Yukari stared at it in awe.

"The symbol that the secret Israeli agents used," he explained. "Is the Kabbalah. In simple words, the Kabbalah is a type of Jewish mysticism, aimed at understanding the divine. That symbol-of fruits and branches in the form of golden balls and rods-represents the Tree of Life."

The girls stared at the sculpture, now understanding it more.

"It's quite fitting," he admitted. "The secret Israeli agents-and I don't remember their real names, so don't ask me please-whoever they are...created their own technologies and stored their best inside of the vault. You see...she did not exactly say it all, but I have a feeling that she and others KNEW that something GREAT was going to happen in South America."

"And how did she and others know?" Miho asked. Everybody else was wondering that too.

"Great question," he replied, sighing. "I don't know; I am just a soldier who was following orders. But for now, let's build up our new base using that vault. Don't worry; it responds to any Israeli presence, including the Guardium UGV."

The Guardium then moved towards the Kabbalah statue.

"Ahem!" Yosef said, and spoke in his native language.

"שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ," he mumbled. "Hear O'Israel. Oh, that's what I mean."

"Hear O'Israel?" the girls asked.

"Part of one of our most important sayings," he explained. "It's the Shema, which we proclaim to remind ourselves of God. But let's get to the point."

Taking a deep breath, he then uttered in a stern voice:

" _The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want._

 _He makes me lie down in pastures verdant,_

 _He leads me beside waters quiet and still._

 _He restores my soul and will._

 _He guides me in paths true and right,_

 _For his name's sake and light_

 _Even though I walk through the valley of Dark and Death,_

 _I fear not, for God is there to give me Breath;_

 _For He is always there with me and thee,_

 _Your Rod and Staff, they comfort thee and me._

 _You prepare a table before me in the presence of adversary,_

 _You anoint my head with oil and aromatherapy._

 _My cup overflows._

 _Surely goodness and love will follow me forever and ever_

 _And I will dwell in the House of God forever and ever._ "

The girls quietly admired him. Miho actually clapped her hands politely but firmly.

"Psalms 23!" Miho uttered.

"Eh?" the others asked.

"Nishizumi-dono!" Yukari spoke. "How-how did you know?"

"Back in Kuromorimine," she explained. "We had a class on Reformation, and for some reason, I remember that passage there."

"Ah, no wonder," Erwin noted.

"Eh, how so?" her friends asked.

"Kuromorimine is themed after Germany," she explained. "And the Protestant Reformation arose there."

"That's right!" her teammates declared.

"The Reformation?" Yosef asked.

"The Christian movement that broke the power of the papacy," Miho explained.

"Ah!" Yosef uttered, clapping his hands in affirmation. "I remember that; old Catholics sure hate that movement, although it sure reminds me of you."

"Me?" Miho asked. The others stared at the screen, then at her.

"You know," he said. "You are born into the Nishizumi family, the 'orthodox' way of doing Senshadou. You react by protesting, hence the 'heresy' of forging your own path."

Miho blinked, then gasped.

"You're basically saying that Miho is 'Protestant,'" Mako said. "While her family is 'Catholic,' in that she is the oddball of her family style."

"Correct," he said. "I say that, because you know...the greatest changers in the world have to overcome personal obstacles."

At the words, Miho's right hand twitched, wanting to clutch her heart. However, she resisted. His words hit home.

"So," he continued. "The vault should be opening soon...that was the password, a long one from the Bible that is deliberately altered, so that it rhymes in English...how long is this thing-oh, it's on."

 _Creak..._

 _Crack..._

 _Brrr..._

 _Boom!_

The girls jumped, as the floor started to give way, then stopped. The Kabbalah statue, which still looked like a golden tree, flickered, then moved clockwise...seven times. As the girls stared, on the seventh turn, the statue stopped, then spun counter-clockwise very fast, as a hole opened beneath and it spun into it. As it did, a half-mile-wide circle of the tepui gave way, and the girls slowly went down, as if on a massive elevator (the girls flinched, then calmed down). As they did, the girls found that they were in a vault of open garages, similar to the ones they found in the Kasikasima vault, except at least 10 times as big, and many times more elaborate.

The girls gawked, feeling as if their very jaws would drop forever.

"Wow..." Yosef's voice echoed from the Guardium. "Oh boy...this is MORE than I expected...It's obviously that we Israelites were prepared for anything, even an apocalypse."

"They are OVER-prepared," Mako spoke, her voice audibly full of shock.

"Technologies beyond our wildest dreams..." Miho, Yukari, and Yosef all mumbled.

"It's jackpot!" Saori squealed with delight.

"This is amazing," Hana said. "Now, we can finally make a camp."

"No," Yukari said. "This has to be enough to make for a whole CITY!"

"Oh boy..." Nakajima and her Leopon Team gasped, dropping their wrenches and tools. They clattered on the hard floor.

"Well!" Anzu managed to say, although she sounded breathless. "This is...amazing."

"Yikes!" Sodoko yelled. "This is MORE than enough to keep us alive! We can EVEN make a whole ship out of these stuff!"

"It is possible," Yosef said, causing the others to look at him. "This vault is the REAL vault, holding our deepest and greatest secrets of the Israel Defense Forces. From aircraft to the latest of agricultural technologies possible, we have it here-Israeli versions, that is. That's what the scientist clearly told me...I wanted to ask her name, but she told me to remember God. Well, here we are; I guess this is my reward for keeping me alive."

"You guys sure have big secrets," Mako said. "What more can we ask?"

"Mo and I are still searching around," he replied. "Our tracker is suddenly activating more fully, and we're on our way to another. I hope we'll find more stuff."

"But what aren't other vaults not as important?" Saori asked.

"You make a good point," he said. "But the main vault-which you all are at-is not big enough to store everything. That's why it was a great thing to find the Merkava tanks; I do NOT want the wrong people to possess them..."

"You mean," Mako stuttered. "The-the sal-salvajes?"

He nodded, and the girls gulped.

"They are not human anymore," he replied. "But they retain some intelligence, and they sure like to twist any technology for their own purposes."

Some of the girls shivered.

"Oh yeah!" Yosef said. "I forgot that I am supposed to be there ASAP!"

"Don't worry about it," Miho said. "Yosef-sama, find the other vaults ASAP, so that nobody else will use it."

"Roger that!" he replied.

"Thank you," she spoke back. "And please, stay alive."

"In the meantime," he said with a smile. "Keep building, keep surviving, and keep being... _humane_ for us all."

The word "humane" somehow echoed a little loudly in the atmosphere, echoing throughout the tepui.

 _Click._

The video screen blacked out, and the Guardium closed down its hatch. The girls then stayed silent, thinking.

"Well then!" Anzu said. "Should we start?"

Nodding, Miho then spoke to her group: "Girls, let's get through this. This vault has plenty of everything we need. We'll make a new base, and we'll find a way out of this world. Plus, we'll get the others, and start our rebuilding."

"Miporin!" Saori said. "Say it!"

"Huh?"

"The usual," Mako said.

"Ah!" Miho uttered, realizing. "Panzer vor! But first, we need to name our new camp!"

"Can we just name it?" Mako asked.

"Should we ask others?" Saori wondered. "Ah! I believe I hear commotions down there."

The girls then rushed to the edge of the tepui, and looked down with binoculars and other equipment.

"They're all here!" Sodoko said, sighing in relief. "Good! All of our girls are here, and I see no Salvaje in sight!"

"Good!" Anzu said, getting up and trying to find her chip. "In the meantime, let's come up with a name that represents us all. Nishizumi-san?"

"Ha-hai!" she replied. "Let's call this place..."

She said it out.

"That sounds lame," Sodoko admitted.

"But it connects us to our school," Saori said. "I like it!"

"I like it too," Hana said.

"I do!" Yukari declared.

"I agree," Mako just said, shrugging.

The Leopon Team and Anzu all nodded.

" **New Ooarai** ," Miho said it again, with a smile. "Let's make this new again."

* * *

 **Well, I decided to cut this chapter a little short, so that I can dedicate a whole chapter to describing our new base.**

 **It somehow turned into something like "Jamestown" thing, as in the US history. If you're curious, Jamestown is the first permanent English settlement in North America, coming after the legendary Lost Colony of Roanoke, which mysteriously disappeared. In a way, the girls lost their old base, for a new and better one.**

 **Well, wish me well, and panzer vor!**


	7. Chapter 7: New Ooarai

**Thank you for all your reviews and continued support!**

 **So, this should be a simpler chapter, despite its length.**

 **If you are a fan of a little worldbuilding, this is it.**

 **Welcome to New Ooarai, my readers.**

 **(If you don't care about that, then the bolded lines are integral. You can skip this chapter, except for the bolded lines and the ending scene. They are crucial.)**

* * *

 **Rise of Senshazonia**

 **Chapter 7: New Ooarai**

"Is this thing working...?"

 _Ring..._

 _Ring..._

 _Ring..._

"Miho?!"

"Onee-chan!"

* * *

 **New Ooarai**

 **Mount New Ooarai, Guiana Shield**

 **6:00 AM; April 2, 20XX**

"It's been so long..." Maho's voice echoed from a communications altar.

Miho sniffed, then remembered something.

"I-" Miho was about to apologize, but Maho's voice silenced her.

"It's not your fault," Maho replied, using the same black antique phone inside of the museum. This time, she was alone, as Alice Shimada had some business to deal with, and was unable to attend (she really wanted to, though).

 _Oh...I want to come_ , Maho smirked, remembering Alice's last words, as she pouted like a real little girl.

"I should have expected it," Maho continued. "Since you got caught off. I know that things have been...strange."

"Strange..." Miho echoed that word, and it seemed to echo inside of the cave where the altar was found. Even Maho felt it; in her own room, the word echoed within the museum interior.

The outside was not raining, but it was dark and starry. Maho stared into the sky above, pondering about everything. Since that day, the Japanese government issued a "day of mourning," assuming that all girls inside were gone. However, Maho found out that some parents from other regions of Japan discovered (somehow) that their kids were still alive.

"I guess other girls used the altars," Maho said. "Even as we speak, in fact, the day of mourning was cancelled because of that."

Miho sighed in relief.

"So there were others alive," Miho said.

"You obviously are the type to care a lot," Maho remarked with a smile. "But there are conflicting reports; some say that altars are used, while others claim that some corporations helped them, but they are conflicting."

"Conflicting..." Miho noted. "But...well, I want to think of something else."

Suddenly, both giggled.

"It's been a while," Maho began, and the two talked non-stop, as they chatted about all kinds of stuff. Indeed, the two were more enjoying with each other, rather than actually talking about serious stuff. Maho wanted to enjoy every last moment she could, before the line could cut off again.

After a long time, both sighed in relief.

"Oh!" Miho said. "How long did we talk?"

"That does not matter," Maho said, although she checked a clock on a wall. "You are my sister, after all."

Miho smiled.

"Onee-chan..."

Both giggled again.

"So," Maho said. "The line is not cutting off this time. Last time, we got caught off a little early."

Miho blinked, then gasped.

"Oh yeah!" she uttered. "I forgot to tell you! Did you tell the UN?"

"The UN?" Maho asked, then gasped. "Oh! I remember that you told me to NOT warn the Japanese government! I did not, but I did not see anyone from the UN..."

Miho sighed in relief.

 _But there was a friendly woman_ , Maho thought. _She told me that the UN is looking into the situation, and trying to find my sister. But now that Miho is here, I don't need to bother...hopefully._

"But I did talk with Alice Shimada," Maho said. "Who promised to keep it to herself."

"I hope so," Miho said. "Oh, are you curious about what's going on here?"

"Of course!" Maho replied, with a rare sense of passion. "What are you all even doing?"

Miho smiled.

"We're making an entire town, perhaps...a city."

"A city, huh...what?!"

Miho giggled.

"Let me explain..."

* * *

 **New Ooarai**

"New Ooarai?" Maho asked.

"It's what we now name our current base," Miho began to explain...

 _New Ooarai was the base that Miho and her Ooarai girls all now lived in. It was located on top of a magically created tepui, because it was recently created, and had relatively smooth cliffs that made climbing difficult. Furthermore, it had surprisingly good soil, which confounded Yosef._

 _"Tepuis normally have poor soil on top," Yosef explained. "However, the rich soil here proves that this tepui is magically created."_

 _"And how do you know this much?" Saori asked._

Maho also asked the exact same question, causing Miho to giggle.

"Yosef-sama explained it to us," Miho said. "He knows a lot about this area, because he and his fellow soldiers learned about it. Plus, being the only survivor, he got all of the files about the place and all. He's currently reading them, in order to learn more."

Miho went on to explain the role of Israel, and Yosef as the sole survivor of his secret force.

 _How did they know so much?_ Maho thought. _While nobody else even knew?_

"I give my condolences," Maho said. "But then, **why would Israeli forces be in Latin America?** "

"Ah!" Miho gasped. "I forgot to tell you more..."

 **New Ooarai was technically located in the Guiana Shield, a distinct geographical region to the right of Venezuela. In fact, the city was technically right between what was formerly Venezuela and Guyana, north of Mount Roraima, a famous tepui.**

"Go on," Maho said. "I am listening; I am actually interested in this New Ooarai settlement, and I believe that you're the leader, right?"

"Eh?" Miho reacted, blinking a little rapidly. "Well...we have not really settled that one down yet. I assume that Hana-san is the leader, because she's the Student Council President."

"Well," Maho said. "In practice, **you were the one who kept the girls safe and sound**."

Miho giggled in agreement.

"Of course..."

* * *

Miho continued to describe the New Ooarai. About two weeks ago, she admitted that she and her scouting group discovered another communications altar. She explained that altars like these seemed to have gotten rarer, for some reason. At the same time, she also noted that the strange thing called "magic" was also starting to become easier to deal with. It was not like science; it had few rules, but the few rules were rather easy to pinpoint.

"What we do know," Miho said. "Is that magic is limited; all of us can use it to make work easier, clean up easier, and technically make our lives easier."

"Like technology," Maho replied.

Miho nodded.

"However," she continued. "A few of us, like me and my Ooarai girls...no, only me and my Ooarai Sensahdou teammates, seem to have full control of magic."

"How so?" Maho asked.

"Not exactly full control," Miho qualified her previous statement. "More like that we can use magic more freely. For one thing, it was us who managed to grow trees that will take years to grow, to become fully mature in only a few days."

"Wow."

This time, Maho was more accepting, as she trusted her sister's words. Miho was the kind of girl who liked to be honest, a testament to her friendly nature.

"And," she continued. "Our magical power seems to be influenced a little by our imagination; one of my teammates, Karina-san, actually used magic to enchant a crane. Despite my warning, she actually managed to get the crane to lift up a Merkava tank up."

"A Merkava tank up for how many meters?" Maho asked.

"400 m."

"400 m-are you kidding me?" Maho gasped. "A Merkava tank is way heavier than almost all of our Senshadou tanks, and that high up?"

Miho giggled.

 **"Magic sure is weird," Miho admitted. "Only we can do that, not the other girls. Ironically, because of this, we are technically at the top of the society."**

"OK," Maho said, clearing her throat. "I believe that I will just let you explain. Tell me about the current New Ooarai right now, and I won't interrupt this time."

* * *

New Ooarai was the result of combining both the Ooarai girls' ingenuity, and the magic and technology that they now had. In only about a month, the settlement became more of a bustling mini-city, self-sufficient in its own resources. The Israeli secret vault apparently held a variety of technologies so advanced, that they appeared more like magic than technology. Meanwhile, Miho and her Anglerfish Team, the Turtle Team, and the two men were walking around, inspecting the city.

"I believe that they are really a mixture," Mako noted. "This kind of stuff...definitely does NOT sound scientific."

"Well," Yosef admitted, scratching his head. "I know that we Israelis had advanced tools, but these are...way beyond what I expected."

He was right, and the girls took advantage of them all. Yosef and Mo both then helped to direct the girls, giving them their own advice on how to run things. While Yosef taught them a little of how Israeli soldiers behave, Mo gave them his own advice on how to incorporate some guerilla warfare.

"Giving help to an enemy faction?" snarled Usamah. He was being led away to one of the rooms in the vault, which functioned as a prison cell. The group followed him, in order to keep an eye on him.

Despite this, the girls gave him a comfortable bed, a desk with plenty of notebooks for him to write, and a prayer rug. Grumbling, he nonetheless took it and laid it down on the floor and started something.

"What's a prayer rug?" asked Azusa, as she and others watched him perform some strange postures on it.

"It's what we Muslims do," Mo explained, as he went down on his own prayer rug. "We use it to direct our prayers in the direction of Mecca, our holiest city."

"Why?" Karina asked curiously.

"It's the direction of our holiest city," Mo answered.

"Why?" Yuuki asked.

"It's what we consider to be the center of Islam," Mo answered.

"Why?" Ayumi asked.

"Eh..." Mo hesitated, as he was trying to concentrate.

"Please leave him in peace," Miho said. "He needs to do his prayers, just as we do with our Japanese shrine."

"Oh yeah!" the girls realized.

The girls then continued on, building up more infrastructure while doing their own business. Although it was about a month since the discovery of the tepui, the girls still were honing and tweaking with some things. Some of the girls were modifying the ramps on the southern and eastern borders, turning them into more accessible entryways. Some of the girls were spending a lot of time trying to "renovate" their houses (more like over-decorating their houses). Some of them, a little more religious than others, started to build their own shrines, especially one based on the original in Ooarai town.

"Something to at least appease the gods," one of the girls admitted. "If they are here."

"If they are here..." Yosef mumbled, pondering.

Some of the girls were farming, inspecting the many farms on top of the tepui, surrounding the tepui, and some even on the cliffs. One of the technologies found inside of the vault was the vertical farm, in which crops were grown on top of vertically stacked layers. For safety reasons, the layers were 390 m off from the ground, in order to prevent anyone from climbing on them; the farming girls used climbing gear to move around, checking each crop layer.

Others, however, went down to local rivers, lakes, and even the sea, where they managed fisheries by the hundreds. Some even started to create roads, in order to facilitate movement. Some girls even discovered local mines, where they now extracted a variety of materials necessary for advanced technologies of today, from steel to even titanium.

"And look!" one of them yelled out, showing Miho something silvery. "This is rare!"

"What is it?" Miho asked, checking a baseball-sized hunk. "It looks like silver, but of a slightly different color."

"That's platinum!" Yosef gasped. "That much is a fortune!"

"We have plenty more!" the mining girl squealed with delight.

"Well," Yosef said. "But we are far away from any shops that are willing to trade in platinum."

The mining girl moaned, then went back to the mine.

"I guess you can keep that," Miho said, giving it to him. "I don't really know what use it has, anyway."

Yosef then pocketed it silently, then excused himself.

"Where is he going?" Hana asked.

"To his house," Miho said.

The only two men (except for Usamah) in the entire settlement had their own house, where they could have their own privacy. Mo soon followed him, and fell into his bed, snoring loudly (he was tired after everything that happened, and after doing his prayers). Meanwhile, Yosef then took out some sharp tools, and started to scrape at the platinum...

The girls utilized more technologies from the secret vault. They found some unusual superalloys, which were far stronger than metals used on tanks (they were already used on Merkava tanks they found, for some reason). The girls wasted no time in replacing the Senshadou tanks' armor with the superalloys, so that the girls could use them at least in combat.

"Finally!" Erwin declared, as her team drove the StuG. "We can drive our old tanks again!"

Plus...they found the reactors.

"These are reactors?!" the girls gasped.

The reactors looked like miniature versions of nuclear reactors. However, out of the three, only one was working. Yet that lone reactor was phenomenal, as it powered up the entire vault, allowing the girls to take advantage of its amenities. The vault apparently was designed to be a self-sufficient lab, but the girls decided to transform the entire vault into an underground city. Each room was modified to suit specific needs; some were saunas and public bathrooms, while others were armories and labs.

"Why do we have three reactors?" Miho wondered, as the girls continued to modify the place. "When we just need one?"

"I don't know," Anzu admitted. "Yosef-sama is doing something inside of his house, so we can't really ask him. All I know is that the reactor is integral to the facility's energy output."

"I guess it's for safety reasons too," Yuzu inferred. "If one breaks down, the others can work in its place."

"Good point," Miho said. "But this reactor...does not use nuclear. What does it really use?"

The other girls around her shrugged.

"Can I ask Yosef-sama?" Sodoko asked. "He should know more."

"He's busy with something," Anzu repeated. "Last time I saw him, a few minutes ago, he was focused on making something inside."

"What's he making?" Momo asked, eyes raised in suspicion.

"Jewelry," Anzu answered.

"Oh," Momo said, clearing her throat. "But enough of that. We have new issues..."

By that, she meant that a few rooms within the secret vault were not opened, even with the reactor. Most of the rooms opened up, but a few of them did not. These rooms had doors that were secured shut, so much so that even Yosef could not open them.

"Yosef-sama said that even he does not know why," Miho said. "He admitted that these rooms may open later. That sometimes happens."

"Like when we need them?" Nekota asked. "In video games, that is a common theme; the most powerful weapons usually come later in the game."

"This is no game!" Sodoko blared. "This is real life, for crying out loud!"

"But with magic," Mako grunted. "It sure feels almost like one."

Sodoko opened her mouth, then sighed in hesitant agreement.

"Can we fire shells into them?" Karina asked.

"No-no," Miho said. "Yosef-sama told me that the shells could disrupt the doors, even activate some defense system. We'll have to wait later."

So, the girls decided to leave the closed rooms alone, and focused on managing the state of their settlement. In addition to the sole reactor, the girls utilized home fuel cells, which seemed to use the same energy as that of the strange reactor. They also found some strange bullets, which they emulated; these bullets were green, as they did not use metals but biodegradable materials that somehow were strong enough to pierce even steel.

"Zero waste bullets," Sodoko noted with a rare hint of satisfaction. "Guaranteed."

The girls then utilized more materials from the vault. Airless tires, tracks that were resistant to falling off, and ultra-strong wheels replaced the older vehicles' wheels and tracks. They even found more unusual gear, such as the same helmets that Yosef found.

"Yosef-sama explained that these are the Iron Vision," Miho explained, wearing a helmet. It flashed out images and video screens, all around from one of the Merkava tanks.

"Cool!" Yukari said, as she inspected the helmets with a passion. "These are similar to the ones used on planes!"

"Actually," Miho said. "In a way, they are. But these are the first helmet-mounted display for tanks, so this equipment is unique. However, they only work on Merkava tanks, so until then, we have to try and make do with what we have."

The girls and the men continued to build their city, as they now had a single, giant building in the middle. This was the main community center, and the place where the leaders would speak to the audience. It also was the only way into the underground city below. Since about a month ago, the girls' strange duplication power continued, and the population swelled to over 50,000.

"Far larger than our schoolship's original," Sodoko grumbled in annoyance. "And we have both good and delinquent ones!"

"Cheer up," Ogin said with a grin. "At least they don't mind getting into actual combat. In fact, many of them like this, because the school atmosphere was so cramped."

"But we have work to do," Miho said seriously, as she prepared her arms. "We have to fortify our base better."

By "fortify," Miho did not just mean strengthening the base; she was referring to their discovery of some prototype combat suits, which were designed to transform between a "normal" uniform for show, and an actual combat suit, sleek and futuristic, designed for actual combat! The girls decided to take elements of the combat suits, and created their own. The results varied, and after some competition, the girls settled down for a variety of "combat suits," which were more like a combination of both practical gear and...feminine decoration.

* * *

"Ehehehe," Miho giggled nervously, as she saw a variety of outfits. Some looked like beefed-up versions of the Ooarai school uniform, while others looked more like cosplay princess outfits.

"Wait," Maho interrupted. "Sorry to interrupt, but that means that there is no single uniform?"

"No," Miho admitted, giggling. "But at least it was fun to see the girls being creative."

" **And a way to relieve stress** ," Maho noted. "Go on."

* * *

In addition to their protective outfits, the girls then put up major fortifications. The girls built up actual walls all around the top of the tepui, so that the whole place looked vaguely like the Forbidden City in China; the walls also doubled as supports for more vertical farms and even some businesses. Shops and businesses of all kinds dotted the area; in fact, Miho and her groups decided to deliberately dot the area, so that both residential and commercial areas merged together.

"That way," Miho said. "It should be harder for the enemies to strike certain areas."

The girls then built up giant gateways, which looked like castles guarding the ramps. They also had outdoor elevators, which were used to help hoist the girls outside of the walls into safety. Outposts and bunkers dotted the areas around, just like back in the old camp. This time, however, the girls had turrets, plenty of them.

"How are they going about?" Yosef asked with excitement, as he came out of his house. He was visibly panting, from finishing up some secret project of his.

"They're installed well," Miho said. "We did as you told us."

"Good thing!" he exclaimed. "Oh boy! Pardon my passion, but this weapon is one of the great things of Israel: the Iron Dome!"

Iron Dome was Israel's mobile, all-weather air defense system, using special missile turrets. Its purpose was to intercept missiles and rockets that flew into Israeli territory from the Gazas Strip, which was dominated by a terrorist group known as the Hamas.

"The one that Usamah belonged to," Anzu said, with a hint of anger.

"But these ones are even better!" Yosef declared, checking one that was just installed. "Unlike our old Iron Dome, these Iron Dome turrets can intercept at least three times far away as the old ones (250 km vs. 70 km), and can intercept missiles from two directs at once!"

"Can they also be used to attack land units?" Miho asked with worry.

"Normally not," Yosef replied. "But these ones are clearly designed to be so."

"And if these weapons are so good," Anzu spoke. "Why are they in South America, of all the places?"

Yosef stopped.

"...I don't know," he admitted. "And that's another personal quest of mine: WHY exactly are all of these secret weapons and equipment inside of South America? And speaking of that..."

He took out a file, which was jet-black with some neon-green words in Hebrew.

"...this is totally classified," he said in a more serious voice. "This gives me important clues to the reason for these weapons being here."

He then revealed a few. Unlike many documents, these were a lot easier to read. Miho eyed one of them, because it had a picture of the Guardium, which took off again hours ago.

"...is this why?" Miho asked.

He nodded.

"That Guardium," he explained. "Is no ordinary Guardium. Normally, they are designed technically for unmanned patrol and support. But that one...is designed for something bigger."

"It really does its own thing," Miho remarked, reading the paper. "According to this, this model of Guardium is XX-721. A few ones were made before, but this is the one known to have some...'higher power' or something?"

"I believe that the paper is deliberately vague," Yosef said. "In order to avoid enemies from finding out. You know, we military experts love to use deception to outsmart our enemies."

"That sounds familiar..." Oryou said, as she and others joined the discussion; they were back from a fishing trip.

 **"Sun Tzu," Yosef said. "While I don't agree with everything he says, I do agree that you have to outsmart your enemies. Plus, if you do something drastic, make it strong and quick. Even Sun Tzu seemed to be big on that: if you fight, fight hard and fast. A battle that drags for long is not a good battle. And I say this again, in my interpretation of Sun Tzu: IF YOU FIGHT, FIGHT HARD AND FAST** **. It will be worth it in the end."**

"Fight hard and fast..." Miho pondered that, as they all continued to survey the base.

Some girls were trying to pilot a few helicopters they found: two AH-64D "Saraph" attack helicopter and five CH-53 "Yas'ur 2025" transport helicopters.

"Ah," Yosef noted. "They should be working well...maybe not."

He looked up, and Miho noticed it and looked too. The sky above was clear and blue, but Miho saw strange, pinkish bolts of lightning flash about.

"What are those?" some of the girls asked. However, their voices were dwarfed by a single cry.

"GET THEM DOWN!" Yosef roared. "NOW!"

The five helicopters soon landed down, just as a single bolt suddenly blazed through, narrowly missing the aircraft. Multiple girls screamed, as the bolt was so close that its flag was blinding.

"What was that?!" the girls screamed.

 **"I don't know why," Yosef said, panting and wiping the sweat off of his forehead. "But from what I read, since the Apocalypse, strange magical storms now cover this entire area, so that flying with aircraft is impossible. Boy, this means that rescue by flight is technically impossible. I notice that birds and animals that fly are unaffected; it appears to attack only airplanes for some reason."**

 **"But I don't see any storm clouds," some of the girls noted.**

 **"You are right," he admitted. "They are invisible from down here, but from space, as I saw a picture taken from a spy satellite (which I need to find again...), the clouds are of a weird combination of colors, mostly gray and black but with splashes of rainbow colors, covering the entire region of Abya Yala."**

" **Abya Yala**?" the girls asked.

* * *

" **Abya Yala**?" Maho interrupted again.

"The name for the Latin America now," Miho explained. "The name from a native American tongue for 'land of vital blood,' it is now a popular term used by Yosef-sama, and apparently others."

"Ah," Maho noted. "I remember that name just started to pop up, implying that the land is no longer South America."

"Not anymore," Miho admitted.

"What about **magic**?"

* * *

 **Magic** was still rather mysterious. Apparently, it was more like a "form of energy," that could be used rather easily. However, it was limited to making work easy, so much so that the girls had plenty of free time. Projects that would normally take years, such as building walls, took only mere days to build, and as a result, a number of girls were starting to get bored. Miho had them scout the surroundings, so that the girls would do something.

However, Miho and 36 Senshadou practicing girls all were the only ones who could utilize magic in ways that all others could not. For one thing, they could accelerate plant growth, to the point of having fully grown trees on top of the tepuis, which others could not do. They also could enrich the soil out of thin air. Miho, however, discovered something else crucial.

 **"Our magic," Miho noted. "Is tied to our tanks."**

The girls blinked, then tested out. Sure enough, their magic became stronger and freer when they were within the range of their tanks. However, once they backed away, at least 100 m or so, the girls started to lose their magic, and were as weak as other girls.

"Why can we do this?" Azusa asked. "While others cannot?"

 **"I believe that there was another term for girls like you," he said, rummaging through his files. "Unfortunately...it's not here."**

"We'll find out why," Miho said. "For now, we have altars to deal with."

"Ah, yes," he said, musing. "They have been getting rarer and rarer. I believe that they are physical manifestations of magic. Once you girls-yes, you girls-become strong enough, they get rarer and rarer, until they disappear."

"From the files?" Sodoko asked.

He nodded.

"But how will we contact with the outside world?" Miho asked, gasping a little.

"I don't know," he admitted, causing many to gasp and groan. "But if you girls hone your magic, maybe you can..."

Miho thought, then nodded.

"Girls!" Miho declared to her 36 girls who could wield magic easily. "Please practice your magic as much as possible. Be considerate of each other, but your goal is to understand the true nature of magic, limits and all, so that it can be used for the greater good of our community, and ourselves."

"We'll do!" the girls all answered, glad for the permission.

"And that does not mean sleeping more!" Sodoko shouted, trying to wake Mako up.

Mako grunted, and created a small invisible wall, which blocked Sodoko, angering her. In retaliation, she clenched her fist, and she smashed the wall.

"I guess it's an arms race," Erwin grunted, watching the spectacle unfold, grinning a little as the two old friends fought against each other.

"Like the Cold War," Yukari noted. "Between the US and the USSR."

"That's right!" the Hippo Team exclaimed.

* * *

"And how do you all even eat?" Maho asked. "I know that you all have farms, but animals?"

Miho giggled.

"We do."

* * *

The girls did manage to acquire animals. Some of the animals were already domesticated, but feral. They managed to lure these beasts back, and the girls soon discovered that their magic also had some manipulative power, so that they could modify the animals.

"Almost like genetic engineering," Azusa said, as she altered a pig. "Except with magic."

"And we cannot really take DNA from one animal to another," Mako said. "Real genetic engineering usually involves taking genes from one organism, and infusing it into another. This one, however, is magical and does not do that; instead, it focuses on genes already in the animals' natural gene pool."

Through this, the girls soon raised entire herds of cattle and pigs, which provided the girls with nourishment. They also raised huge flocks of chickens. However, the girls also discovered strange new animals that they did not expect...

"What are those?" Sodoko gasped.

A few of the girls, including the Rabbit Team girls, were herding a herd of rhino-sized animals, which had vaguely bovine bodies. The heads, however, looked slightly like that of a hippopotamus without the tusks. The animals also walked in a strange fashion, as their limbs were very stout for their size, and had brown fur all over, except for a few stripes of white and black on the faces.

"Toxodon," Mako answered.

"Toxodon?" other girls asked.

"I recognize the body structure," Mako said. "I saw them in a picture book once. They are South American hoofed animals, unrelated to today's deer and cows. Before it became extinct in the Middle Holocene, it was among the largest and the most common of all South American hoofed animals, and was among the last of its kind. But to see it in real life, it looks quite plain."

The strange ungulates silently grazed the lands. They were eating grass and herbs nearby the southern ramp; the girls herding them directed them, in order to remove vegetation from the ramp. They were doing a great job.

"How did you domesticate them so fast?" Sodoko asked.

"We just...tamed them," one of the clone-girls said. "Ask my master, Himari."

Sometimes, the clone-girls either called their "original" girls their "masters."

"Himari-san," Sodoko said. "What happened?"

"We saw them from a distance," she explained. "And I decided to try and convince them to come to me...and they did."

"And long story short," Miho said. "That's how you all domesticated them."

They nodded.

"So that's another trick of magic?" Sodoko gawked. **"That's...too easy!"**

"At least it's better than nothing," Miho said. "And we seem to have more."

Another group of girls were herding a flock of birds this time. They looked like plump, compact ground birds, vaguely resembling quails but bigger, with small heads. They were making strange whistling sounds, which reminded some girls of flutes.

"Those are tinamous," Mako said.

"They are..." Miho tried to guess. "...some flying relatives of the ratites?"

"Correct," Mako said. "You know more than Sodoko."

"Call me Sono Midoriko!" Sodoko declared.

"Heh?" Mako grunted. "You weren't that bothered when Nishizumi-san called you that."

Sodoko made a face, as it turned bright red.

"Calm down please," Miho said. "At least we now have plenty of farms, thanks to our Nutritional and Agricultural Sciences Department girls."

They all looked on. Fields after fields of all kinds of crops surrounded the tepui. Some were strawberries, as they plucked the ripe red ones, while others were rice plants. Three rice combine harvesters were already working, trying to extract as much rice as possible. In the more tropical areas, some girls were inspecting new crops.

"Nishizumi-san!" one of the farming girls called out, running towards her with a football-sized (and shaped) fruit with a golden yellow color. "How do you eat this?"

"You crack it," she said, as she took out a knife and carefully hammered it. It opened, and she pulled open. A white pulp and white seeds appeared, and a strange but pleasant aroma emanated.

"Both the white pulp and the seeds are edible," Miho explained. "But we have a manual about chocolate too, so check it out too."

"Thank you!" the girl exclaimed, and ran off, wolfing it down with glee.

The girls then looked on.

"We finally have a good place," Miho said.

* * *

"Long story short," Miho said. "We have turned that plateau-place into New Ooarai, a second home, with all of the amenities of our old home, plus farms and all to support our growing population."

"Hmm," Maho noted. "Make sure to thank Yosef-sama for giving the vault to you all."

"I already did," Miho replied.

"And Miho," Maho said. "I...I am so happy that you are alive. Even mother was worried about you."

"Mother..." Miho's voice fell.

"Don't worry," Maho said. "She's too worried about the whole situation to think of...disowning you. She's not intent on that; if she wants to, she prefers to disown you in person. She's the type of mother who is strict and set in her ways. In a weird way, as long as you are far away, mother has no choice but to hope that you are alive. But as long as you are far away and 'trapped' in Abya Yala, we should be fine."

"Onee-chan..." Miho began, but Maho cleared her throat.

"You know," Maho said. "I am...starting to get a little tired of Japanese honorifics. At this point in time, where you and your friends are trapped, I want to cherish every moment we have. You don't have to call me 'onee-chan' all the time. You're my Miho, after all, and I am your Maho."

"Th-thank you," Miho stammered. "Onee...Maho."

Maho nodded.

"There you go," Maho began, then heard the inevitable.

The static started to blare louder and louder.

"Well then," Maho said. "I guess it's time. Thank you so much, Miho! I love you!"

"I love you too!" Miho called out.

"I lo-bzzz you!" Maho's voice started to crack.

"Than-bzz you!" Miho's voice cracked from the other side.

Both lines then cut off.

* * *

 **The museum room**

 **Tokyo, Japan**

 **10:00 PM; April 2, 20XX**

Maho sighed, then put down the handset. She then took out her cell phone, and it soon rang.

"Moshi-moshi?" she called.

"Moshi-moshi!" Alice's voice cracked through. "Did I miss her?"

"It cut off," she replied, and grinned a little as a childish groan echoed. "Don't worry; at least she's fine now."

"Good," Alice's voice blared. "I am now going to a shrine, praying to any god to hope that they will be alright."

"I will also too," Maho said. "To a different one, but for now, I gotta go. Thank you, and I wish you well."

"Good night," Alice's voice called.

"Good night."

 _Click._

She then dialed a number.

"Moshi-moshi?" a deep, clearly non-Japanese voice echoed.

"Moshi-moshi," Maho replied. "It is I, Nishizumi Maho."

"Maho-chan!" the man's voice echoed in clear surprise. "It's been a while! What's up-wait. Ahem! I...I believe that you're here for a prayer request?"

"Yes," Maho said. "You know about the situation in South America?"

"Yes," the man's voice said with a clear, thoughtful tone. "I believe that you want your sister Miho to alive and well?"

"She is still," Maho said. "You can, but above all, I have something to ask."

"What is it?" the man's voice asked.

"What is Abya Yala?" she asked.

The call was suddenly silent. Maho waited for a while.

"I see that the truth is out," the man's voice replied.

"The truth?" she asked.

"The truth about Abya Yala," the man's voice said. "As the new continent from which the forces beyond nature shall rise, and the forces shall threaten to overturn the status quo of the times. And that's one reason why Miho warned you NOT to tell the UN."

Maho blinked, then gasped.

"How did you..." she trailed off.

"Some of us have gifts," the man's voice boomed. "Or what you call powers. I have some power to learn about things that I have never heard of, and one of them is the knowledge that Latin America is now Abya Yala, the 'land of vital blood.' In that new land, new peoples and factions arise, and new things shall come out, threatening to shock the entire world."

"As in?"

"Something that even yakuzas and corporations alike will hate," the man's voice continued. "But it's already late now; I have to go to sleep now, in order to get ready for my ministry."

"Y-yes," Maho agreed with some hesitance.

"Don't worry," the voice replied. "I will tell you more tomorrow. Good night then, Maho-chan."

"Good night," Maho replied. "Pastor...chaplain...chaplain..."

"Just call me Marvin," the man's voice replied. "Marvin Luther."

* * *

 **New Ooarai**

 **In a cave somewhere in the Guiana Shield**

 **9:00 AM; April 2, 20XX**

Miho smiled, wiping away her tears as she let the altar crumble, as usual after it was done.

"Miho!"

She turned around, and saw her team.

"What is it?" Miho asked, as the altar dissipated from behind her.

"We have found another vault!" Yukari declared. "And Yosef hopes that it's going to be a good one!"

"Really?" Miho asked.

"Yosef and his group are already going there!" Saori said. "And we better hurry!"

"We'll go," Miho said, following them.

They went out, and went down the cliff. Nearby, their old Panzer IV Ausf. H. was on high gear, its new engine roaring.

"Yosef-sama's group is going there by Merkava," Saori explained, as they all went inside of their tank. "And he said that there aren't any enemy in sight. This is the time to strike."

Miho smiled, nodding.

"Let's go," Miho said. "Panzer vor."

* * *

 **Originally, I intended to stretch this story, but I decide that this point is the right place to stop. Next chapter will be interesting...**

 **Panzer vor!**

 **;) (wink)**

* * *

 **Sneak peek:**

 **"How can this happen?!" Miho panted. "How-how can this happen?!"**


	8. Chapter 8: Double Revelation

**Now, the story is definitely going somewhere interesting.**

 **That's a hint.**

 **I am serious.**

 **;)**

* * *

 **Note: some lines are bolded, in order to show significance. However, not all important lines are bolded, because there are too many lines to bold anyway. If multiple lines are important, I will bold only some, so that you readers will have to read the lines around them. The lines around the bolded ones can be as important as the bolded ones. Yes, that is a BIG hint.**

 **So then, read on.**

* * *

 **Rise of Senshazonia**

 **Chapter 8: Double Revelation**

 **On the way towards a secret vault**

 **Halfway between Mount Roraima and Caracas, Venezuela**

 **9:00 AM; April 2, 20XX**

The girls continued to chat, as they drove in their Senshadou tanks, except modified for real combat. Truly advanced armor modules covered the exterior, while highly modified tracks and advanced engines rendered the tanks on par with some main battle tanks in use today. However, they were still vastly inferior to modern tanks, as their guns were useful at attacking infantry, rather than real tanks. Still, they were precious.

"Ah," Yukari said, rubbing her warm cheeks against the cold, steel walls. "We are finally back in here!"

"The Merkava tanks sure felt so...modern," Hana remarked, caressing the controls of her gunner's seat.

"The controls were at least modern on the Merkava," Mako said nonchalantly.

"But we sure have gone a long way," Saori said. "By the way, how far are we?"

"Ugh," Momo groaned. "We traveled so fast."

"Why?" Anzu asked, munching on her homemade piece of dried sweet potato.

"Guess I am not used to these advanced engines," Momo grunted.

"I guess our movement has improved," Yuzu said. "Thanks to the new technologies."

"Stop calling me Momo-chan!" Momo screamed.

"I didn't say that," Yuzu said.

"She didn't," Anzu agreed.

"Oh..." Momo realized, blushing in embarrassment.

Suddenly, the three laughed. Miho watched them, smiling as she and others were in their own conversations. They were not talking anything in particular; since establishing a more secure base, the girls soon adapted and even enjoyed their new lives. Although they still wanted to go back home, they were making the best of their situations.

"We have no boys!"

"But at least we're safe!"

"We have food and shelter!"

"And we're safe!"

Miho smiled, as the girls onboard were starting to tolerate and even love their current status. Sure, they were not sure whether they could finally escape the "nightmare" inside Abya Yala, but at least they all were safe and sound. Miho was most glad at the number of casualties:

 **Zero.**

Miho wanted to keep it that way, yet...

 **"Hopefully my family is alright," one of the conversations went. "I mean...are we human?"**

Miho lost her smile. Whoever said that was very right on two points: family and humanity. The girls missed their families, although to a various degree. Yet there was one thing that made almost all of them ponder: are Senshazons humans?

 **"Yosef-sama said about us being Senshazons," Saori said. "But...he admits that he's not so sure. From what little he found, it apparently was a name given to us girls, who have been 'transformed' or something by the Apocalypse? But I felt nothing significant."**

"Maybe we'll experience more," Miho said. "Once we live here longer. Our magic was starting to improve, although I have questions still..."

"Best case scenario," Mako said. "Is that we can finally leave here and reunite with our families."

Murmurs of agreement echoed throughout the group. There were just three: Anglerfish Team, Turtle Team, and Hippo Team. For some reason, Sodoko and Ogin both followed them.

"Why did you follow us again?" Caesar asked.

"To keep you all in order," Sodoko answered.

"To explore the horizon," Ogin began to talk, then winked. "In disorder."

Miho giggled nervously, as the two started to bicker about "order vs. disorder" kind of topic, but Miho looked on.

"I see them!" Yukari yelled out, clutching her binoculars.

The girls then drove their tanks in a different direction, meeting up with Yosef's own group, composed of three Merkava tanks, and a few girls on top, rifles in hand.

"Hey there!" Yosef called out.

* * *

"It's been a while," Yosef said.

"It was not that long ago," Miho said, giggling.

"Well," Yosef admitted. "After you fight and survive, it makes you appreciate life."

Miho smiled in response. The reunited group now went ahead, plowing through tall grasses and short bushes with large tracks, crushing all in their paths. Animals of all kinds of ran out in response; various animals of South America appeared en masse.

"Most of these animals look normal," Yosef noted. "While others are definitely primitive. I wonder...how are they risen?"

"You mean revived?" Saori asked.

He nodded.

 **"From what little I know," he explained. "The scientist...boy, I wish that she told me her name...admitted that she and her colleagues were stunned at what the Apocalypse caused. Apparently, they were shocked that the Apocalypse produced 'more than expected' or something. Apparently, she did not tell everything, until she realized that she was really dying. Deciding that I should not be left in the dark, she told me as much as possible...before..."**

Yosef sighed, as the girls patiently waited, letting him talk at his own pace.

"He sure seems to have feelings for that scientist," Saori whispered to Miho. "Poor man..."

 **"Well," he replied again, more optimistically this time. "At least she revealed me all of the ways to find the truth behind everything. That basically means that I can technically access all information. What I do know is this: Israel is not the only nation that foresaw the Apocalypse."**

The girls looked at each other with worried eyes.

"And Japan?" Miho asked.

"Japan is definitely here," he replied. "I saw Japan on one of the Israeli files."

Suddenly, his tracker beeped.

"What?" he reacted, checking it. "There is another vault here! But that means that we have to split up again."

The girls then decided to check their belongings, inspecting to make sure that they had everything. They had compasses and all kinds of navigational tools to help, especially to return back home. Miho was helping Ogin with a compass, which appeared to be spinning around, when Yosef made a gesture from behind a Merkava tank, apparently to get her to talk to him in private. Blinking, she casually walked towards him, who put his finger to his lips to stay quiet.

"Do you need something?" Miho whispered, curious.

He smiled, then put something into her hands. Blinking again, she checked the item.

 **It was a platinum necklace.**

"Wow," she said, raising it to check it, but Yose beckoned her to lower it down.

"It's my token of appreciation," he explained. "I was actually a jeweler back in Israel, before joining the IDF. I have a penchant for creating necklaces with detachable beads."

"Detachable beads?" she asked.

"My family has this weird tradition," he said. "Of creating necklaces with beads that detach easily. Unlike other beads, which had holes to fit a thread through, our beads are designed with a slightly magnetic property, so that they stay on these lines easily."

"Won't they fall off easily?" Miho asked.

He shook his head.

"Unless you really force them apart," he replied. "It's a family secret."

"But why-" Miho began to ask, but he motioned her silently. Understanding what he was communicating, she then wore it, hiding it beneath her collars.

"Thank you so much," she said.

"Thank you for helping me," he said, before moving to his commanding tank.

Miho then went to her tank, feeling the necklace hidden inside of her collar.

"What were you doing?" Saori asked.

"Having a talk with Yosef-sama," Miho replied.

"Ooh," a nearby clone-girl interjected. "Is Yosef in love?"

"I am not!" Yosef's voice suddenly blared, causing most girls to jump. The clone-girl just rolled her eyes.

"I am a clone-girl!" she called out.

"Not a good reason!" he angrily called out, with a hint of apparent embarrassment in his voice.

"Anyway," Miho giggled nervously. "Let's go then. Yosef's group will break off again, and we go on as usual."

The girls said farewell to each other, before they went away. Miho's group continued to the same location. Miho then checked her necklace.

"Platinum," she noticed. After some lesson with some girls, who knew metals and materials, she recognized the difference between platinum and silver, and now could recognize it.

"I don't really see how he managed to make these beads magnetic," Miho mumbled, tapping at them. The beads were stuck as if with glue; however, Miho could tell that they could be removed, albeit with much force.

"They really feel like strong magnets," Miho noted. "Magnets...attached..."

"Miporin!"

"Oh," she replied, tucking her ornament in. "What's going on?"

"Just making sure that you're paying attention," Saori replied.

"Thanks."

* * *

 **The mysterious vault**

 **Halfway between Mount Roraima and Caracas, Venezuela**

 **12:00 PM; April 2, 20XX**

"Just like the one in our base," Sodoko remarked, scanning around with her sharp eyes.

Miho and her friends finally found the vault. As expected, it was covered in vegetation, since they were still in the Guiana Shield region, which enjoyed a lot of rainfall, high temperature, and amazing views.

"This feels like a dinosaur film," Saori suddenly spoke.

"Watched movies with the Rabbit Team?" Mako asked.

"Yeah," she admitted. "We watched them, in order to learn about romance."

"How does a dinosaur film talk about romance?" Mako asked, a little annoyed this time.

"Almost all films have some romance!" Saori groaned. "Even in a dinosaur film like **Cretaceous World** , there was some love!"

"We're not here for romance or dinosaurs," Miho interjected, giggling nervously. "But we have magic and technology, and that's strange enough."

In front of them, the vault's entrance loomed, hidden by vines and hanging plants, their leaves and flowers buzzing with life, as bees and hummingbirds alike zoomed back and forth, chirping and whirling.

"Careful," Miho said, as her tank entered first, crushing the vegetation underneath. The loud, cracking sounds echoed, causing the animals to fly away.

"Sorry about that," Miho said, as she brushed off the vines. Her tank slowly crept through, and the girls checked.

"The door is closed," Miho said. "As expected."

"Yosef said that sometimes," Hana said. "The doors open even without authorization."

"Those are for less-important vaults," Sodoko said. "But Yosef said to loot those too, just in case."

"Good point," Miho said. "Then, we may have to set up camp here."

"Well then," Anzu said. "Isuzu-san, will you give the call?"

"Huh?"

"You're the School President," Saori whispered.

"Oh!" she replied. "Um...girls, let's set up camp?"

"Oi!" the girls all replied in unison. Suddenly, Miho looked back.

"You alright?" Saori asked.

Miho put a finger to her lips, silencing the whole crowd. Miho squinted her eyes, then strained her ears.

The girls were silent, except for the bees and hummingbirds that returned, buzzing and whirling about. Miho then scanned the door and its frame.

"I thought I heard something," Miho finally spoke.

Suddenly, the door creaked, then slowly rose up, opening up. The girls saw a tunnel with faint blue lights on the ceiling.

"Umm..." Miho trailed off, as confused as her teams.

"Was that a password?" Ogin finally asked, her hat tilted.

"I...guess so?" Miho finally replied.

Suddenly, they heard thunder, and sighted an ominous, massive cloud in the distance.

"We better hurry," Miho said. "Girls, let's get in."

The girls obeyed without question, and went inside, unaware of a movement nearby a tree. Hidden beneath, something metallic shone, its red light indicating that it was functional, eyeing the girls as they went inside...

* * *

"I believe we have entered in," Yukari said, looking around. "For about 100 meters, and I see...nothing."

The girls were trying to find the end of the tunnel.

"Where is Ogin?" Sodoko asked.

"Again..." Momo groaned. The girls turned to look, and saw the silhouette of a girl in pirate outfit walking casually towards the entrance, then knelt down to crawl into a bush.

"She said that she'll watch outside," Momo explained. "She'll be the lookout."

"Isn't it going to rain?" Miho asked.

"I told her," Momo said. "But she saw a rocky outcropping, and decided to seek shelter there."

"Good point," Miho said. "If something happens, she can be the scout."

Ogin then silently went inside of a dense patch of vegetation, still unaware of the hidden camera. Fortunately, the camera rotated so that it faced a different angle, so that it did not notice Ogin as she crept into the bushes.

"This place sure feels odd," she mumbled. "Ah, I forgot to tell them, but it felt a little...too clean."

* * *

"This feels...odd," Miho said, as her group traveled through the tunnel. It winded down a little deep.

"My senses don't sense anything," Sodoko said. "So, there is nothing to worry about."

"No," Miho replied. "I am saying...doesn't this vault look a little different?"

"How so?" the girls asked.

"Isn't this a little too clean?" Miho began. "And the lights are unusually good-"

SLAM!

A huge noise erupted, and the girls jumped.

"No!" Sodoko suddenly screamed, and the girls looked behind. A slab of stone appeared from behind, blocking them!

"It's a trap!" Miho gasped.

"What?!" the girls yelled.

Immediately, Yukari, Caesar, and Momo came out, and inspected the blocked entranceway. Miho also followed, and probed the slab.

"It's made of concrete," Miho noted.

"Can't we just ram through?" Momo roared, her echo traveling through the tunnel.

"No..." Miho gasped.

The girls looked, and realized that it was no ordinary slab of concrete. What looked like cyan stripes suddenly appeared, snaking throughout the slab, glowing faintly but ominously.

"Runic markings?" Miho wondered, touching the stripes. They snaked around, and she felt some weird magic pulsing throughout.

"Something out of video games," Saori noted.

"Can't we just ram through?!" Momo roared. "We have magic, so we should try!"

"Well..." Miho noted. "I believe that no ramming will do, since this is some sort of a magical trap..."

"And?" Momo asked, impatient.

"But we have no idea of how our magic works," Miho admitted. "It's not like some **Fullmetal Magician** , where the characters know exactly how magic works or something."

"Then there is only one way," Hana noted, sweating a little as she saw the tunnel.

"We have to keep going," Anzu said, looking relaxed. However, Miho noted her sweaty hands.

"Stay close," Miho said seriously, as the three tanks rolled on.

They kept going...and going...and going. After some traveling, the girls found another slab of stone blocking their way. This time, however, they ended up inside of a large room, enough space so that the girls parked their tanks sideways, as if in a museum exhibition. All of the girls came out, and surveyed their surroundings.

"Same old lights," Saori said, shaking a little.

Mako said nothing, but held unto Saori tightly.

"Calm down please," Saori soothed her.

Hana looked around, her head scanning around for anything of interest.

"Everything's so plain," she replied.

Yukari then checked the wall blocking them.

"It's strong and stuck," she replied. "We're trapped."

"That's not what you're supposed to say!" Momo groaned loudly.

"Calm down," Yuzu said.

"Seriously," Anzu spoke in a firm voice, causing even Momo to sniff and tense up.

"We are indeed trapped," Caesar said, looking at the wall in front of them.

"Like the Maginot line?" Erwin asked.

"Or maybe the ocean?" Oryou inferred.

"Maybe the bunker of Hitler will do," Saemonza suggested.

"That's right!" the Hippo girls replied, then gasped.

"Oops!" all four of them stuttered.

"Yeah," Anzu said, not sounding amused at all. "We ARE trapped. Be glad that I am a little nicer today..."

"But what are we going to do?!" Sodoko roared, her echo resonating throughout.

"I wonder..." Miho pondered, then made a palm-fist tap. "I think...that this is no ordinary trap."

"How so?"

"It's a little too clean for a vault," Miho said. "What if somebody was already here?"

"Clever girl," a voice suddenly echoed from a hidden speaker. "You are actually the first to realize this soon."

The girls all reacted fast, and went back into their tanks.

"Who's there?" Miho asked.

"There's no point of being inside of the tanks," the voice echoed again. "Because you are in."

Suddenly, the chamber shook, and the floor felt as if it was moving. Behind, another slab of stone appeared, like the door of an elevator.

"We're moving...forward," Miho said. "Girls, this is an elevator!"

"A huge one!" Erwin gasped.

The girls then braced themselves, as the tanks shook, while the elevator room groaned and moved, as if it was held by a giant. The elevator moved forward for some 300 meters, then went down for about 100 meters, before grinding to a halt.

The girls waited, then the lights went out.

Suddenly, the walls seemed to open up, revealing what looked like glass walls.

Then, the girls realized that they were in the middle of what looked like a Senate chamber room, but all-white and round. Above, on what looked like glass, sleek balconies (the type that would look good in a sci-fi film), stood a large group of people, hidden behind glass walls. They all stared down, looking like audience in a Colosseum fight.

One of the men clapped, a very sarcastic clap. The echoes resonated throughout; even the glass walls did not hide the annoying sound, as the girls soon realized that there were speakers all around.

"Congratulations," the man said. "Finally, we have girls who are smarter than the rest."

The girls all tensed up.

"You cannot escape," he said again, his voice echoing. "But maybe we can talk, if you all come out."

"We-we don't know who you are!" Momo roared.

"Exactly," he said again. "Maybe you can tell better...if you are out of your tanks. Anyway, your tanks are no match for this place."

"He's...right about that," Miho said, her head and torso out and exposed. "Girls, let's talk then. Sir, who...are you?"

"I will answer," he replied. "If you all come out."

"Girls," Miho said. "Let's come out, and negotiate."

Grumbling and moaning, the various girls all came out. Miho's group stood in front, while the others stayed behind. Mako held unto Saori, trembling. At the same time, Sodoko was holding unto Mako, trembling.

"OK," Miho said. "Who are you?"

"You must be the leader of them," the man said, fixing his glasses. Tall, slim, and dressed in dark suit, he reminded the girls, especially Anzu, of someone familiar.

He grinned.

"I look familiar," he said. "Right?"

"Right..." Anzu spoke, having a bad feeling about him.

"I am his distant cousin," the man spoke. "Renta Tsuji sure was a stupid lowlife."

The girls blinked, then gasped.

"You?!" Anzu especially spoke, shocked. He sure looked just like that man, the one who tried to shut down their school. He was the same man who pitted their school's Senshadou team against one of the strongest teams ever: the Selection University team, with Alice Shimada as its leader.

 **"I am Renta Kobayashi," the apparent man in charge said. "I am that man's distant cousin."**

"What..." the girls stared in shock. He definitely looked identical to that man, whom many girls learned was the one who tried to shut down their school.

"Who is Renta Tsuji?" Sodoko asked.

"The man who tried to shut down our school," Momo muttered, shaking. "And here stands his cousin, who looks like his spitting image."

He sure looked almost like Renta Tsuji. He was tall and thin, with dark hair and large, rectangular spectacles. Although most did not really know Renta Tsuji at first, they knew that somebody had been trying to shut down their school, and now...they saw the man who looked just like him.

"Wait," Sodoko said. "Now that you say it...what's going on here?"

"You girls seem clueless," the man mumbled, his voice clearly audible. "But Renta Tsuji does not even know that I exist. In fact, his family records have no information about me, either."

The girls stared at the man.

"I have been analyzing his data for years and years," he continued. "He has made some...tall moves, from trying to shut down a school due to some grudge, to putting you girls in jeopardy by fighting against the Shimada style. However, he was frankly stupid about this."

"You've been...spying on your own cousin?" Miho managed to speak.

The girls shivered. Now, some of them even thought that Renta Tsuji was BETTER than this man.

The man suddenly laughed.

"You sure are quite clever," Renta Kobayashi said. "It's ironic that he and I have the same first name. Guess it runs in the family."

 _And yours too_ , Anzu thought, shaking a little. _You and that sneaky...augh!_

Miho looked around, as he continued to speak. The whole area looked almost like a hybrid of both a Colosseum ring, and a judgment hall. She also noticed what looked like cylindrical containers.

 _Storage tanks?_ Miho thought.

"Anyway," the man continued. " **I think that since I do NOT like to be associated with that jerk of Tsuji, you girls can call me RK.** "

"RK," Miho said. "So, RK-sama, what are you doing here?"

He smirked.

"We are the Sunshade Industries," he introduced his cast.

"Sunshade?" the girls asked.

"Ah!" Oryou gasped. "That famous corporation in the US!"

"In Canada," RK groaned with annoyance.

"Huh?!" the girls reacted.

"Many people," RK admitted, fixing his glasses, which were a little crooked from his frown. "Mistake Sunshade for an American company. It's not; we decide to headquarter in Canada, in order to avoid being spied on by the US. Of course, the reason is simple: the US spies on you only if it cares about something about you. The US cares about Mexico, because of the border issue and all that stuff. Instead, since nobody really knows, or even cares about, Canada, we decide to be there.

"But let's get to the point," RK said. "Since you are now prisoners here, what do you have to ask? I am not in a hurry, so take your time."

"What do you mean?!" Momo roared.

"Ah," RK said. "You're Kawashima Momo, the girl who officially won the Winter Cup for your team. In reality, almost everybody smart enough knows...that it really was Nishizumi Miho-senpai who did that."

Momo quieted down, although she was still seething. Miho blinked; the man called her "senpai," which felt a little odd.

"Who are you really?" Miho asked.

RK smirked, then began:

* * *

"The Sunshade Industries is a Canadian company," he explained. "However, it did have its origins in the US; there, a few people, some of them former members of the now-defunct **New Silicon** , decided to try at small businesses. In reality, we were investigating what made companies successful, and what made them fail. After years of investigation, we decided to officially start our company in Canada. There, due to lenient policies and a willingness of people to submit to the desires of the companies, we were able to rise up. Soon after, our company won numerous awards. Oh, and all this happened starting with a base of only five. Yes, five founders were the geniuses behind this company.

"If you remember, we were a fledgling industry, at the mercy of larger ones, especially the New Silicon. Both of us specialized in high technologies, heavy tech, and all kinds doing with tech. Well, as you can see, we struggled hard. Until we got magic."

"WHAT?!" the girls gasped.

"Yes," RK said. "Magic was already around before you all are even born. It was called by a variety of names, though. You may have heard of the Tunguska event, the Roswell incident, and all kinds of strange phenomena. Well, some of those were actually instigated by us, experiments that went out of control.

"We, the Sunshade Industries, were the only ones who even knew about this magic, so we kept a secret monopoly over it. For years and years, we have bought, competed against, and successfully rose above almost all other businesses. However, we chose to stay lower, in order to minimize investigations from outside forces. And then, we lost it."

The girls looked at each other, stunned at the revelation.

"In this same year," he continued. "The Apocalypse occurred. Apparently, it was already foreshadowed; somehow, our secret files got leaked, and secret agencies from around the world anticipated it. We tried to prevent the Apocalypse, but many nations have set up their secret vaults here, hoping to get the lion's share of what was to come."

* * *

He stopped there, drinking from a bottle of water. Miho raised her hand.

"Yes?"

"So," Miho said. " **To put it in simple terms: you guys rose to fame, by using magic. Then, the Apocalypse was essentially a way to strip your monopoly over it?** "

"Clever girl," RK said, clapping genuinely. "You nailed it. Because of that, I am in a good mood. Let me tell you more, although it won't be of use, since you are going to be trapped here:

"To get to the point, the Sunshade is founded by five people, whom we call the Five Sages, who are the leaders of this megacorporation. You see, it technically is a corporation, but we have bought and possessed many industries, from petroleum and heavy to high tech and computer. As a result, we are among the few with truly monopolistic potential. In order to do this without getting caught, we used magic."

" **Cheaters** ," Anzu and many girls mumbled, as they continued to listen.

"You see," he continued, wiping his glasses. "New Silicon soon got suspicious, and started to file lawsuits against us. Well, we used magic to discover some possible scandals in New Silicon. Long story short, we forced New Silicon into bankruptcy, and now we can finally reign over."

"But we have never heard of your company," Erwin said. "If you are that strong, why haven't we heard of you?"

"It's simple," RK said. "Japan is one of the few nations that have decided to NOT cooperate with us, and that also includes the US."

"What?!" the girls gasped.

"Like I said," RK said. " **Since the discovery of US surveillance system by Edward Snowden** , we have been more cautious. If we set up headquarters in the US, then we will be monitored. We are not stupid; we decide to stay ' **small but powerful** ,' if you know what I mean.

"And that's where the Apocalypse comes in. **It was the bane of our monopoly over magic. Some pastors from a local church came to us, foretelling that they already know that we use magic to pervert the capitalist system. I do not know HOW they even found out, but the pastors told us that the secret is already out.** Somehow, as it turns out, a few of our employees were careless, and managed to sneak out files about our activities. **One of the files told about a prophecy, in which the 'land of the Incas' will become 'land of vital blood,' a land unlike anything the world had ever seen. Once that arises, we the Sunshade Industries will lose our power over magic.** "

"And that happened," Miho said.

"Correct," he replied. "I do not know how this happened, or how the prophecy became true. Since then, we wasted no time; we got legal permits and authorization from numerous governments, especially those in exile from South America, to set up colonies and bases to help reclaim the lands."

"I do not think that's your real goal," Miho said.

"Clever girl," RK replied. "You are right; **we're here really to regain our control of magic**. No one, except for the secret agents around the world, and those pesky pastors, knew about this, so we wanted to keep magic for ourselves. Anyway, nobody even believes that magic exists."

"But what does all this have to do with us?" Yuzu asked. "We're just girls who want to escape."

"Escape?" RK asked, laughing out loud. "Escape? Hahaha! You girls! Look at yourselves! You all look like normal girls, but you are taller, stronger, and better than us Humans! In fact, you all, unlike us, can actually wield magic!"

"And why is that important?" Sodoko asked, despite clinging to Mako tightly.

He smirked.

 **"You girls," he said with a sly smile. "Have magic. The only way to extract that out, is to get it out of you."**

"Umm...how?" the girls asked.

Miho blinked, then gasped.

"I guess you have to take it out," Miho said. "Which means..."

"Yes," RK said, playing with his fingers. " **Extracting that magic out of you...is essentially extracting the life force out of you. I don't know why, but it appears that magic is now tied to you girls being Senshazons. You girls are the main reason for our inability to use magic. Bu** **t we don't care, as long as we regain our control of magic**."

The girls all paled.

"Wow-wait!" Mako said, trembling. "Th-th-that means...no, this means that you-you're..."

"Long story short," Miho said, turning to face her friends. " **This Sunshade Industries company...will want to extract our energy called magic, and that means killing us.** "

"NO-NO-NO!" Momo screamed, as her friends struggled to calm her down. The Hippo girls all trembled; only the Anglerfish Team seemed to stand the ground. Sodoko was shaking Mako, who somehow remained calm enough to stay still.

"But don't worry," he said. "Since Miho-senpai has impressed me with her knowledge, unlike the previous leaders who came in here before, we'll give you a concession."

He pressed a button, and the room went down to a nearby entrance. The girls flinched, but waited. The room then hit a wall, which appeared a little different; it had cracks."

"That entrance," he replied. "Will open up to reveal a weaker door. That door is deliberately weak enough, so that even your tanks can ram through with ease. However, in return, as soon as that weaker door is exposed, we'll expose you to air pollution."

"Air pollution?" the girls asked, confused.

"Car exhaust and its related gases," RK replied. "That is the weakness of you Senshazons. You Senshazons are clearly stronger and better than us all. However, unlike us, you easily get immobilized by air pollution. We discovered that, when one of our captured Senshazons easily fainted at the smell of gas from a military truck. We soon found that out, and immobilized some schoolgirls like you."

Miho then gasped.

"O-other girls from the schools?!" she asked, now remembering RK mentioning about "previous leaders."

"Yes," he replied. "Since you girls are the most intelligent and best-behaved, we'll spill some good beans. The Sunshade Industries wants to become its own state, with our own ways of life. No government to control us, and nobody, not even the news reporters, to nose into our business. Plus, we are especially interested in Virago."

"Virago?" the girls asked, a little calmer this time.

 **"In order to understand magic," he explained. "You'll have to understand the Virago. In the Senshazon race, the Virago girls are the only girls with real control of magic. All other Senshazons simply cannot freely harness the energy, only using bits of it. Each Senshazon has enough energy to charge an average energy canister. However, Virago girls are even better; they have enough energy to charge at least 10 canisters.**

"Plus, you girls can use magic directly, which threatens our business...and our government. In fact, we have backing from a few governments, especially those of Venezuela, Cuba, and some nations that do not like the NATO, the UN, and whatnot. We realize that you girls technically have monopoly over magic, since you girls can use it much like 'free energy.' Ha! Now that we know, we can finally get you all!

"And there is more. **Virago girls are technically the "queens" of your states**. Virago girls are the only reason for the girls still alive; killing you kills the entire society, forcing the survivors to either side with us, or die in vain."

"You have to be kidding..." Miho panted, breathing heavy. Now, she realized that the fate of her very school...no, it was imperative to survive.

"We got only a few," RK retorted in annoyance. "We've gotten the girls of the Count High School, the Gregor High School, the Koala Forest High School, Maple High School, and Tategoto High School. They were easy, but not as desirable as the St. Gloriana or Saunders."

Miho and her teams sighed in relief. At least their friends were still alive, although they gave silent condolences to the girls whose energy was...extracted.

"But now," RK said. "We have gotten the best bait ever: your state, Ooarai, has the most Virago ever so far. All of you are Virago!"

Miho and her friends looked at each other in shock. That meant...

"And another thing," he continued. "Virago girls are all leaders or major members of the Senshadou teams."

 _Which implies_ , Miho thought in horror. _That all of the Senshadou team in New Ooarai is...is..._

"Well," RK said, stretching. "I have said enough already. And we have given you a hope spot. Let's see if you can survive this!"

The door opened up, and the girls saw that the wall appeared a little cracked.

"Soon," RK said, smirking. "The gases will appear, and you will have only a moment to try and escape. Nobody has done this before; I like to see you try."

"Quick!" Miho shouted. "Into the tanks!"

The girls quickly tried to get in, but suddenly black and blue puffs ejected out of hidden holes from the floor. All girls immediately gagged; although the smells were familiar, this time the girls felt like choking.

"Augh!" they all coughed, falling down, gasping. Miho, Hana, Anzu, and Caesar all stood their ground, although trembling.

"What-augh-the?!" Caesar coughed, then fell down.

"This-is?!" Hana shook, trying to remain standing. "Mi-ho-san...this-is...no."

Both saw Anzu shiver, then fall down, writhing in pain.

"And remember," RK taunted them. "If you girls can get out, then it's the first time ever!"

 **"How can this happen?!" Miho panted. "How-how can this happen?!"**

"Sorry," Hana said, as she went down. Miho coughed, struggling to cover her mouth with her collar. The air was clearly car exhaust, the same smell as that of cars back home. However, the smell now had a paralyzing effect, incapacitating her very body.

"I am...sorry," Miho gasped, as she fell down. Suddenly, she heard a cracking sound.

Her necklace broke a little, so that three beads fell down. Without realizing it, she fell facedown, and her lips touched one of the beads.

"Ah...ha...huh?" she whispered.

She felt the bead going down; she somehow swallowed a detached bead. Suddenly, she felt her body restoring back, and the gases somehow lost their power over her. She slowly got up, and realized that she felt better.

"What...?" she coughed. "What happened...the beads?"

She saw two other beads that fell down, and she inferred what happened.

"The necklace?" Miho pondered.

With resolve, she rose up, using the smoke clouds as cover, and carefully walked to her fallen friends. She put one into Hana's mouth, then into Anzu's.

"Huh?" both girls gasped, as they quickly recovered. "Miho-san?!"

"I don't know why," Miho said, as she took out her necklace. "But the beads here helped us. Quick, get them to swallow them!"

She gave each three beads, and Miho herself took out four (it was a little hard, as the beads were stuck). Hana then went and gave one to Saori, Yukari, and Mako, while Anzu gave one to Momo, Yuzu, and Sodoko. Miho then gave the four to the entire Hippo Team. Soon, all of them rose up, recovering.

"Miho?!" the girls gasped. "What just-"

"Nevermind!" she commanded. "Get into the tanks quick!"

They all obeyed, and got into their tanks.

"Hey boss," a voice echoed through the speakers. "I thought I saw a few get up."

"Nonsense," RK's voice echoed. "There is no way. If they do, we can hire Impalers to get them."

"We have only one functioning," the same voice echoed.

"One is better than nothing," RK replied. "Stop doubting, Paul."

Paul looked like a normal Caucasian man, with features of both a European and a Turk. He had all of the features of a typical European man: tall with dark blond hair and blue eyes. However, he had clearly dark skin, a testament to his time in hot regions. Miho noticed him; unlike RK, he looked nicer.

"Ram it!" Miho shouted. All three tanks roared into action, and slammed into the wall.

CRACK!

The wall stood, but its cracks now started to appear larger.

"What the?!" RK's voice roared.

"How did they recover?!" multiple people's voices echoed, as they witnessed the girls ramming the walls again and again.

"Boss," the same voice named Paul said. "I told you."

"Go!" Miho roared.

CRACK! BOOM!

The wall groaned, then fell down with a huge thud. Behind, a dark tunnel stood, and in the distance was a faint light.

"Go-go-go!" Miho shouted, as all three tanks plowed through the debris one-by-one: the Panzer went first, then the Hetzer and lastly the StuG III.

"Raise the alarm!" RK's voice roared.

"We have never done this before!" another voice echoed. "We have no response team for-"

"JUST DO IT!" RK's voice echoed, smaller this time as the girls managed to speed through the tunnel.

"Move-move-move!" Miho shouted through the radio. "There is a light in the distance; follow me closely!"

The girls drove as fast as they could, as they heard faint noises of sirens from behind. The light in front grew and grew, until the girls could sight the outside. Despite the recent rain, the Sun soon shone through the clouds. The surroundings felt so refreshing; the cool, oxygen-rich air soon rejuvenated the girls, as their tanks started to touch on brown but real soil.

* * *

 **Out of the vault and into a nearby forest**

 **Halfway between Mount Roraima and Caracas, Venezuela**

 **12:00 PM; April 2, 20XX**

"We're free!" the Hippo girls' screams echoed, as the girls escaped out of the tunnel. Speeding with all of their might, the three tanks bolted out, crashing into a dense patch of vegetation, which still dripped with the recent rain.

"Hurry!" Miho called out. "And-Ogin!"

Ogin was on top of a tree branch, and jumped down, landing perfectly on top of Miho's tank, although she slipped a little due to the water.

"What happened there?!" Ogin asked, getting up. "I saw the entrance cave in and-"

"No time to waste!" Miho called out. "Get in!"

She listened, just as cannon shots roared in the distance. The three tanks all managed to plow further into the forest, and soon were far away. Looking back, the girls saw sirens blaring, and multiple troops coming out.

"Keep going!" Miho commanded, as the girls continued to plow through more vegetation. "And zigzag too; keep the enemies confused, and split up!"

They obeyed.

"But keep close!" Miho spoke again, and the three tanks zigzagged through the woods, keeping an eye on each other. Miho looked behind, and saw some soldiers, in strange, black gear, trying to follow.

"They look creepy!" Sodoko's voice echoed, as she watched the soldiers from turret of the StuG.

" **Some Nazi super-soldiers?** " Erwin pondered.

Fortunately, the tanks had powerful engines, and strong tracks that helped them to move far away fast enough. Although tanks were not designed for high speed, they were great at cross-country movement, so that the girls easily moved through the forest floor. Behind, the soldiers were trying to catch up, but strangely some plants started to regrow back quickly, hindering their movement. Miho watched them, and took note.

"Aren't they following us?" Sodoko asked.

"I think they cannot," Miho said. "The plants are...I don't know, but our magic seems to affect the plants."

"Then let us see if we can!" Sodoko shouted, spreading her hands out as if casting a spell. "Hmm...can I do this?"

"What are you doing?" Mako's voice echoed.

"They said that we're Virago," Sodoko said. "And if we have full control of magic, then we can-wow!"

Suddenly, behind the StuG, more plants erupted out, creating a dense wall of vegetation. Miho gasped.

"That is possible!" she exclaimed, and then raised her right hand, as if summoning a powerful spell. Suddenly, giant trees erupted out from where the tanks were, literally blocking their views.

"Way to go!" Yukari squealed with delight, as the tanks continued to move. Soon, the girls saw that the soldiers behind struggled; the sudden appearance of plants was too much, and they soon retreated back.

"We're safe!" Sodoko grunted.

"Let's not waste a single moment," Miho said. "Let's move."

The tanks hurried back. Nobody even took a break; Miho noticed the time.

"It's noon," Miho muttered, then fixed her radio. "Girls! We will move ASAP to our base. Waste no time!"

"Hai!" the others responded, and revved up their engines as much as possible. The tanks roared, and kept moving on. Fortunately, after about an hour, the girls started to calm down, although they kept looking behind.

"Miporin!" Saori cried out. "Th-thank you!"

"Huh?"

The others heard, and gave their tanks as well.

"W-wait!" Miho gasped. "What did I do?"

"You saved us!" Momo cried. "I felt like dying there, and you revived me!"

"I did not," Miho answered. "I found a way, somehow."

"Thanks!" Caesar said, wiping her tears.

"That was amazing," Erwin admitted, fixing her hat, which she managed to keep on.

"I thought I was dead!" Sodoko moaned, crying. "What was that? Super-powerful choking gas?"

"That's what happened?!" Ogin asked. "When I saw that door closed back there, I did not know what to do. So, I walked around, until I saw another entrance open. So, I climbed on top of a branch, and saw you guys."

"Good thing we got you!" Sodoko groaned.

The girls then explained what they learned to Ogin. She paled.

"That means..." she gasped. "That ALL of us girls in the former Senshadou club are...Virago?"

"And it appears," Miho said. "That the Sunshade Industries wants to extract our magic or energy, which means basically killing us outright."

Ogin shook.

"But Miho-san," Hana said. "How did you save us there?"

They all stared at her, curious. Nodding, she took out her necklace. It had 13 beads missing, but it had a good number still attached.

"Yosef gave this to me," she said. "I am going to ask him what he did to make this. I think he saved us."

"And let's make more of that!" Momo shouted. "I don't want to feel that again! Ugh! That smoke-thing almost killed us!"

"It was actually normal gas," Miho explained. "Remember? It was the same smell as the car exhaust we smelled back home."

"And that's one key weakness of ours?" Ogin asked.

"Apparently so," Miho replied. "And apparently, only they seem to know about it, until now."

The revelation then dawned on them.

"We better tell the others!" Sodoko replied.

"Let's talk to our Virago girls first," Miho said. "Then, if we believe possible, we'll tell others."

"I think it's better to keep it to ourselves," Hana said. "Until we fully understand what had happened. So many things happened already..."

"You are right," Miho said, turning to look behind. An angry, black thundercloud clapped and roared, the bolts of energy striking back and forth. Squinting her eyes, she barely could notice the vault, which was now whirling with helicopters.

"Let's hurry," Miho said.

RING!

"It's Yosef!" Saori cried out.

"Yosef-sama!" Miho called through.

"Girls!" Yosef's voice echoed, with a clear sign of concern and shock. "What happened there?! I lost contact with you, and took me hours to get back in!"

"Escape back to base ASAP," she commanded him. "We're in danger."

"Roger that!" he replied without hesitation. "But Miho; we need help with one of our tanks! We're somewhere in the north of Mount Ooarai!"

"We'll be there!" she called. "Girls, go back to base and prepare! My team will go and help Yosef's group!"

They obeyed, and the Panzer veered off. The Hetzer and the StuG continued to make a beeline for a familiar tepui, which loomed in the distance. The Panzer then went to the left.

"Where are you?" she asked.

Suddenly, she saw a faint light appear to rise up, before flickering.

"Get there!" Miho called out. "Girls, we have no time to waste! Yosef-sama, we're coming!"

"Thank you!" his voice echoed.

"Let's go," Miho panted.

* * *

 **Back at the fake vault, which was really a Sunshade base...**

"We failed to get them," one of the soldiers reported.

"Curses!" RK roared, throwing a small tantrum.

"You should have been more careful," Paul said, approaching.

"Paul," RK said. "You are right; I should have listened to you."

"No worries," Paul said, showing him what looked like a 3D image from his watch. "The Impaler is ready."

"Send it," RK said.

"It's already going."

RK smiled.

"Thank you," he replied.

* * *

 **And there you go. The first "real" antagonist, other than the Salvajes/Selvagens and maybe other implied people in the previous chapters.**

 **So, if you are wondering, the Sunshade Industries was originally supposed to appear in my previous stories, especially the "Girls Wild Rise" series. However, due to time constraints and dissatisfaction with the way my last project went, I decide to finally feature the Industries in this chapter. New Silicon is mentioned, which was the main villain in one of my previous stories. However, the Sunshade Industries is more or less the main "evil corporation" that will appear, but I intend to do this with twists.**

 **And it's just the beginning...**

* * *

 **Note: I also added a few references, such as "Jurassic World" and "Fullmetal Alchemist." There is also a slight reference to "Monsters Inc.," using the canisters to extract energy. And a reference to "Nazi super-soldiers," courtesy of "Wolfenstein."**

 **I also give a shout-out to aGuestfromGreece45, for the idea of extracting girls for energy. His story "The Ether Conflict" has definitely improved, so much so that even I am now inspired by elements of his own story. Thank you for all your hard work and improvement.**

* * *

 **Reviews, likes, and follows are appreciated.**

 **Thank you, and panzer vor.**


	9. Chapter 9: Fog and Tears

**And now, another chapter.**

 **I am surprised to finish this so fast.**

 **In fact, this chapter is officially done four days after the publication of chapter 8!**

 **Note: being short, this chapter has few bolded lines. I hope that most details are easy to see.**

* * *

 **Rise of Senshazonia**

 **Chapter 9: Fog and Tears**

 **New Ooarai**

 **Mount New Ooarai, Guiana Shield (or what was formerly southeastern Venezuela)**

 **3:00 PM; April 2, 20XX**

"They're back!" a sentry girl shouted, watching through her binoculars.

A group of girls formed, mostly clone-girls, as they flocked to a nearby tower to watch the two tanks drive towards their base. Some of them took out their own binoculars, while others tried to squint their eyes to see.

"They're coming faster than usual," one of them noted. "And I see only two of them."

"Do they miss home that much?" another one remarked.

Suddenly, the StuG approached a group of three farming girls, who were carrying baskets of freshly picked produce, while the Hetzer zoomed away. The tank stopped, as a blond girl with a cap got out and talked to the girls from the cupola. Although her face looked calm, her furious hand motions spoke a lot. All three farming girls visibly shook, dropping their baskets as they rushed to other girls in the farms.

"Oh," the sentry girl noted. "I believe..."

Suddenly, the same blond girl then looked up, seeing the tower. She then gave the hand motion, and the sentry girl paled.

"We're under attack!" she gasped. "Sound the alarm!"

The others wasted no time, and scrambled to signal. Some of them waved flags, while others turned on their speakers. Others activated both the radio and the PR system.

"This is the sentry from the Northwest Tower!" the girl shouted into the system. "We are under attack! Get back into the tepui, NOW!"

Speakers throughout the entire region of New Ooarai (mounted on wooden poles), from those inside of the tepui to those farming nearby, all blared the news. Those on the farthest edges of the farms heard them, and rushed to warn the fishers, miners, and others who were far away. Most, however, immediately scrambled to get in. The first girls went into the emergency elevators, which worked frantically to lift them up as soon as possible. Those who missed the elevators, however, had to rush through the two ramps, which still were under renovation.

Meanwhile, girls inside rallied their defenses. Some of the girls were constructing the tanks when the news occurred; immediately, they worked to activate the few tanks that they managed to finish. These then moved up through ramps in the walls, and stationed at specific points in the walls that allowed them to position and fire.

Some other girls activated the Iron Dome turrets. Some of them opened up, rotating to point their missiles and rockets in the northwestern direction. Many girls scrambled to pick up any weapon they had, mostly rifles, PFAs (Portable Field Artilleries), bows, and crossbows. They then lined up the northwestern walls, aiming in the direction in which the two tanks appeared.

Wasting no time, two giant elevator platforms came down, which picked up the two tanks, and lifted them up as soon as the tanks boarded.

"Whew!" Erwin sighed in relief, fanning herself with her hat. "We made it!"

"Yeah," Caesar panted, as she watched the rest of the girls come inside.

"As fast as an arrow," remarked Saemonza, coming out to prepare her bow.

"You alright there?" Oryou asked the Hetzer's girls.

"Fine..." Momo groaned, whose face was smeared with dry tears.

"Crybaby aren't you?" Yuzu teased. "Momo-chan?"

"Augh..." she groaned; she was too tired from crying to respond.

"Well-well," Anzu remarked, chewing on another piece of sweet potato. "We're safe now; how are the others?"

She spoke this both to her team, and into her radio.

"We're fine," Yuzu said.

"And you?" Anzu asked, tapping into the radio. "There!"

"Miss Anzu!" Yosef's voice boomed. "Miss Miho's tank is here! We're getting out!"

"Please get back ASAP," Anzu cheerfully said, although there was a hint of seriousness in her voice.

"Hopefully so," he replied.

* * *

 **Miles away, where the Yosef's group is stuck...**

 **3:30 PM; April 2, 20XX**

Yosef turned off the radio, as he went out to watch.

"This is...HARD!" Mako said, giving out an uncharacteristic groan.

"Careful," Yosef said. "Miss Mako, please be careful. The Merkava is way heavier than the Panzer."

One of Yosef's group tanks got stuck inside of a muddy quicksand. Although it was harmless to the people, the Merkava tank's heavy weight caused it to get stuck. The other Merkava and the Panzer both were pulling the trapped tank with ropes attached. To make matters worse, a fog surrounded the area, so that it was rather hard to see.

"Pull!" Miho called out, as she, Yosef, and a few girls struggled to pull alongside the tanks.

Suddenly, rain started to pour.

"Get in!" Miho commanded, as she got in. "Oh! We forgot this rope here!"

She took it, and got out.

"What about you?" Yosef asked. "And it's raining too, Miss Miho!"

"There is one more rope left!" Miho answered. "I will go and wrap this one, and pray that it will work!"

"Be careful!" Saori called out. "There is rain and fog already!"

Miho nodded, as she wrapped the rope onto the Panzer, then jumped down to run towards the trapped Merkava.

God, he asked internally, as he got into the Merkava. Please, free her. Wait, what am I praying?

Miho then stomped through the thickening mud, as the water started to rise up.

"Heave..." she mumbled, as she struggled to trudge through the mud. "Ho!"

She finally reached the Merkava, and climbed up. Shaking off the excess mud, she then finally wrapped the rope around.

"Alright!" she called out to the girls within the Merkava. "Girls, don't worry! We're getting there!"

"Thank you!" one of the girls inside called out. "Miho-senpai, you really did save our school! Thank you!"

"I do what I can," Miho simply replied, as she closed down the cupola. "Alright, better go back-huh?!"

She turned around, and her eyes noticed something inside of the fog...

* * *

"Heave ho!" the groups inside of the other two tanks groaned, as they finally pulled, and pulled, and pulled. At first, the trapped Merkava groaned, then gradually gave way.

"Come on!" Yukari yelled. "We're almost there!"

"Stop it!" a voice echoed, although it sounded very faint.

"Huh?" Yukari looked around. Unfortunately, the fog was still intense, and the rain grew harder and harder. The noise of the raindrops drowned out some weird noises in the fog.

"Keep pulling!" Yosef yelled, as the tank continued to pull for what felt like minutes and hours.

"Who are..." a voice suddenly echoed, before disappearing.

"What?" Yukari noted, scratching her head, but lost her train of thought, when her tank lurched forward.

The two tanks managed to pull the other tank out, freeing it in the process.

"Great!" Yosef exclaimed. "Now, we better get back soon!"

All three tanks started to drive away, as the rain started to pour harder and harder.

"Oh yeah!" Saori suddenly called out through the radio. "Yosef-sama! Mipo-sorry, Miho told us to ask you about the necklace!"

"The necklace?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said. "It was the one that saved us from the secret lab people."

"The secret lab?" Yosef asked. "And the necklace? **It has no magic; it's made of platinum**."

"We have it here," Hana replied; Yosef heard the familiar sounds of beads rubbing into each other.

"Wait a second," Yosef said. "Aren't we missing something?"

"It's missing 13 beads," Hana said.

"No-no," Saori interjected. "He meant...wait. Miporin?"

The Panzer stopped, while the others kept going.

"Stop the Merkava!" Yosef commanded, and both stopped, as Yosef got out.

"Miho-san?" Hana asked. "She's not inside..."

"Where is..." Saori trailed off, as they all realized.

"Turn around ASAP!" Yosef roared, and all three tanks immediately turned around, moving as soon as possible back to the area of the quicksand.

"Nishizumi-dono!" Yukari shouted out, coming out of her hatch. "Nishizumi-dono! Where are you?!"

"Miss Miho!" Yosef also yelled, scanning the horizon, but saw nothing but fog and rain.

"Where is she?!" both asked, aghast.

"Miho?! Miho! MIHOOOO!"

Girls from the tanks also joined in shouting her name, although they stayed within the safety of their tanks. Strangely, the rain weakened to a drizzle, but the fog remained, as thick and white as usual. All three tanks eventually arrived at the scene, and the girls all popped out of their hatches, looking around frantically.

"Miho!" all of them shouted.

"Nishizumi-dono?! Nishizumi-dono! MIHO!" Yukari yelled with all her might.

Nobody answered.

"What happened?!" Saori shouted, opening up her hatch. "How did we...Mako?"

Mako said nothing, but her face was pale. Her head was out of her hatch, ignoring the rain. However, her face was clearly etched with fear and dread.

"Mako?" Saori asked.

She said nothing, but pointed at something on the left side of the Panzer. Yukari and Yosef both got out and rushed in, and looked down.

"What is that?!" Yukari cried out.

They were footprints. Although it was slightly raining, the prints were still visible. One set of footprints were clearly made out of boots, with markings that clearly came from their Senshadou boots. However, it apparently had multiple steps back and forth, as if Miho was dodging...

"What was she doing?" Yukari asked.

"I know why..." Yosef said, paling as he pointed at something else.

There were another set of footprints, but not made by boots, or even human prints. Some claw marks dug deep into the dirt, apparently approaching Miho's footprints.

"I know those prints," Yosef uttered. "I know them...Girls, get to the base, NOW!"

Without waiting, the girls started to rev up their engines.

"We can't leave without finding Miho!" Saori called out.

"I know where she was gone!" Yosef declared, getting into one of the Merkava tanks. "And we have to rush to our station, fast!"

"What?!" the others asked, shocked.

"I know some weapons to help!" Yosef declared. "We need them before we rescue Miho!"

"But what happened to her?!" Yukari wailed, although she got into the Panzer.

"Do you want to know?!" Yosef yelled.

The other girls nodded, and multiple "yes" sounds echoed from the outside, and from the radio. Yosef sighed, as he got in.

"Move ASAP," he replied. "And then, I will talk."

The girls wasted no time, moving full speed ahead back to their base.

"Good!" Yosef replied, sighing. "I will tell you now: **a former girl captured Miho**."

"Former...girl.?" the others asked, puzzled.

"Keep going," he replied. "OK, I saw from the files some weird pictures, including the prints of some bizarre footprints and handprints. I recognize the prints on the dirt..."

He breathed, his face pale. The girls watched in anticipation.

"Please be nice to me," he replied. "I just learned about this today, so I don't have all of the details...I have to translate the files more. Man, I did not expect this to happen so fast...may God be with Miho."

"What is?" Saori asked. "And is that bad?"

"And we will listen," Hana replied. "Since you are our ally."

He only sighed.

"An Impaler kidnapped her," he replied curtly.

The girls blinked, puzzled.

"Impaler?" Hana asked. "An enemy?"

"Worse," he replied. "A former student of the Count High School."

"Wh-what do you mean?" Saori asked.

"The name 'Impaler' sounds creepy," Mako admitted.

"Wait!" Yukari interjected. "You said that an Impaler is a former student of...the Count High School?"

He nodded.

"An Impaler," he said, sighing. "Is essentially one way that happens to you girls with magic."

"W-WHAT?!" the girls all screamed.

* * *

 **At the same time that Miho just finished wrapping up the rope...**

Miho blinked. She just closed down the cupola of the trapped tank, when she sighted something in the fog. Despite the fog, she could make out a silhouette; it looked like a hunched humanoid with a spiky mohawk.

She froze in place, blinking. The silhouette was gone.

"Was I seeing things?" Miho asked. "Now that I think about it, I haven't eaten much..."

Shaking her head, she then got down and ran towards the Panzer. Suddenly, something slammed into her on the right, tackling her. Despite the tumble, she managed to get up, although something grabbed her throat.

"What?!" she gasped, as something was trying to grab her throat harder; the hands felt unusually cold. However, her survival skills kicked in, and she made a few clever twists, freeing her neck long enough for her to breathe. She then made a judo throw, slamming her perpetrator to the ground, allowing her to stumble away free. Shaking herself, she readied herself.

"Stop it!" she yelled, as she faced her enemy. "Who are you...what..."

She trailed off, as she stared, eyes wide open, at the figure before her.

It looked like a hideous humanoid, straight from a horror fantasy story. It appeared to be a hunched human, but with pale skin, a muscular body, and inhumanly long arms and legs, which looked more like something from a praying mantis or even a spider. Claws tipped the points of each finger and toe, stained with both blood and dirt. The face was horrifying; it looked like a vampire, complete with pointy, batlike ears and giant fangs, fit for a predator.

However, Miho saw something that horrified her even more. She saw that it was wearing rags, a remnant of some uniform. The only clothing clearly intact...was a skirt. On it, she was a familiar emblem:

A picture of an upside-down triangle, with three stripes: left was blue, right was red, and the middle was yellow.

It had a black bat symbol in the middle, and a stylized word beneath: COUNT.

The hideous being shook, shaking its head to regain consciousness. Then, its black eyes stared down at Miho.

"Who-who are you?" she asked, but the thing did not answer. It then crept towards her, then pounced.

"Who are you?" she asked again, dodging every move left and right.

It did not answer, but snarled and hissed, and it attempted to swipe at Miho. She dodged left and right, as easily as dodging punches. Enraged, the thing then charged, and Miho ducked down, and unintentionally threw the thing away with her head, just as she did against Murakami back in the Bar Donzoko.

"Who are you?!" Miho asked again, but the thing got up, ready to attack again. "Count...Are you from Count High School?"

The thing suddenly stopped, and Miho saw...its eyes whitening, and she gasped, as she saw the familiar eyes of a schoolgirl. They were innocent blue.

"Heh...heh..." the strange creature moaned. "Girl...sorry...can't...control..."

"You're from Count High School?!" Miho gasped. "How did this..."

She was too shocked to even comprehend.

"What happened to you?" Miho asked, only to dodge another attack. The thing then turned around, hissing with black eyes. It then held its head, shaking furiously. Soon, its eyes reverted back to the usual blue color.

"Sunshade...sent me," the former girl managed to moan. "Sorry...no control...I have to...augh!"

"Please resist!" Miho yelled, as the creature lashed out again. She dodged left and right, as the creature continued to try and capture her with its arms.

"Don't come near!" the being roared.

"Please resist!" Miho called out. "I don't know your name, but I am Miho!"

"Mi...ho?" the twisted being asked, stopping. Miho saw it trying to regain control, as the strange being panted deeply.

"Miho?" she asked. "Ah...ah...I remember...You're the champion...First victory for Ooarai since decades ago..."

"Who are you?" Miho asked.

"I am..." she groaned. "I am...ugh!"

She hissed, shaking her mutant head.

"I know...am from Count!" she groaned. "And I am...a girl! But I forgot...name! The Sunshade did it...removing some of... memories while...twisting me into...this."

"Who are you then?" Miho asked.

"They...turned me into...an Impaler," she finally admitted, gasping.

"Impaler?" Miho asked.

"No time to talk!" she groaned, shaking her head. "If I don't...get you...I will...be killed."

"Killed?"

"Sunshade will...kill me..." the being groaned. "I don't...don't wanna...die..."

The creature suddenly wept, and Miho could tell that the "thing" was actually a girl on the inside. She stared at her, or what formerly was a girl, and sweated.

 _I don't know who this_...girl is, Miho thought. _But I can tell that a real girl lives inside of that...horrible body. And from the Count, a school like mine! I can't let her die...but I want to live..._

She sighed, then made a split decision.

"OK," Miho said. "I will come with you, on condition that I ride you."

"Really?!" the Impaler yelled, but stopped when Miho shushed her.

"Careful," Miho said. "Or my friends will know; if you do, do it ASAP."

The Impaler nodded frantically, arching her back to allow Miho to ride on her. She definitely looked calmer; in fact, her eyes regained their blue color.

"Is somebody controlling you?" Miho asked, as she rode on the being's back (she also made a silent prayer to any god she knew).

"Hold onto my mohawk," the Impaler replied. "And yes, somebody was telling me to NEVER come back until I get my target; that directive was a thorn in my head. Since you willingly came, that directive inside of my head is gone. And...thank you."

Miho smiled, patting the former girl's back. It was wrinkled and warty, but Miho could feel what felt like a normal girl's skin underneath.

"I hope that this is good," Miho admitted. "And I am ready."

"Hold on..." the Impaler said, as she then sprinted away. Miho was surprised at the speed, but held unto the mohawk, which felt a little too hard and pointy to be hair.

"What happened to you?" Miho asked, as she looked back. She saw the silhouette of three tanks, almost invisible due to the thick fog.

"My school got attacked," the Impaler said (Miho also noticed that her voice was less hesitant, and more feminine). "We got overwhelmed when the Apocalypse happened. But a ship came in, and saved us. Then, ship lost power and we all had to survive on land. And thank you for following me."

"You're welcome," Miho replied. "But what really happened? I just met you, and I can tell now...you are a girl. But I am confused."

"My friends and I got caught by the Sunshade," the Impaler admitted, as she continued to sprint through the mud and grass with little effort. "And... **we were experimented upon**."

Miho said nothing, but her face was pale, and she covered her mouth.

"H-how?"

"They infused us with some magic," the Impaler grunted. "They were experimenting with some...vials of sort. In order to see...what were they saying...some 'exaltation of the human race' or something like that? No, I am not sure. They took half of us into one room, and half into the other."

"How many?" Miho interjected, her face pale.

"50," she replied. "25 of us got into some weird storage tanks...and I never saw them again, other than some inhuman screams. 25 of us then got injected by some sort of magic vials, and...we turned."

Miho said nothing, as she shook. Her hands were trembling; even as she kept holding on, she was losing her grip.

 _Is this what magic does to us?_ Miho thought. _If so, we have to hurry! But if what she said is true...then that means that the Sunshade did this to her?!_

Miho held her chest tight.

"Onee-chan," Miho said on impulse, sniffing.

"I had onee-chan too," the Impaler said, sniffing. "She got into the other room...and I know that something happened, because she had a distinct scream, one that only I know. I heard her scream...and never heard from her again."

Miho held on, but her eyes were wet, tears streaming out. Despite the wind and the wetness of her clothing, she held on.

 _What can I even hold onto_...Miho found herself thinking. _What am I even doing? Why did I do this? To save myself? No, to save everyone, but...how can...how can..._

Miho closed her eyes shut, as tears streamed out of them.

 _Onee-chan,_ she thought.

After what felt like an hour, Miho noticed that the Impaler started to slow down. She looked up, and saw the familiar rocky formation, the same place where she was captured.

She breathed heavily. She did NOT want to see that place again.

"That's a Sunshade lab," the Impaler said. "It uses some sort of secret magic or technology, which gives out false readings on some tracker or something. That's why you and your friends got trapped. I am surprised that you all managed to even escape in the first place."

The Impaler then started to walk towards the lab.

"I am sorry," the Impaler moaned. "For bringing you. I know you want to stay away, but I have orders to follow. They mutated me, so that I have no choice but to follow."

"How did they do it?" Miho asked.

"Some sort of magic, I suppose?" the Impaler admitted. "To be honest, they did so many things, that I don't even know...I don't even know what to do..."

Miho nodded, as the Impaler brought her closer and closer.

"Number 316 is back!" a voice suddenly shouted, as multiple soldiers appeared out of the bushes. They pointed their guns, as they approached the duo carefully.

"Well," the Impaler said. "I wish you well."

Miho sniffed, struggling with her tears.

"I am sorry..." the Impaler moaned, as the first soldier came, pointing the gun at her head.

"No," Miho said. "I am sorry...but thank you."

* * *

 **Well-well, she has to go again, right?**

 **Miho sure has a weakness: she cannot bear to see a former girl be punished or killed. Now, she's back there, and what will happen next?**

 **Tune in next time, and I wish Miho panzer vor...or good luck, if she can even survive.**

* * *

 **And wow, I am surprised to finish this chapter so fast! I give a shout-out to God for his great inspiration.**

 **Shout-out to commanderstarscream123 for his contribution to the defense ideas for New Ooarai.**

* * *

 ***: The Impaler is based on the Crypt Ghoul and the Vargheist of Warhammer game lore. The Impaler looks like a hunched human, like the Crypt Ghoul, but with spiky, red hair and fangs like the Vargheist. The Ghoul is essentially a cannibal turned into a monster, while the Vargheist is essentially a humanoid vampire bat with a horrific appearance. Now, imagine a cute schoolgirl twisted into an Impaler, her skin turned from smooth to mostly warty and wrinkled.**

 **Ugh, that's a sad state...**


	10. Chapter 10: Shoukai Shimasu I

**Attention, this is a special chapter.**

 **Read on, please.**

 **(Warning: plenty of worldbuilding in the "Recap." If you don't care, then you can skip to "The Meeting, Again.")**

* * *

 **Rise of Senshazonia**

 **Chapter 10: Shoukai Shimasu I**

"H-hello," Miho spoke, getting on stage. "I am Nishizumi Miho, and I am here to introduce this chapter. The title means ' **Allow me introduce you** ,' which means that I am in charge of introducing this chapter...for now. Oh yeah! Now, let me introduce to you the story of 'Rise of Senshazonia'...wait, didn't I do something like this?"

"You did," SeekerMeeker groaned through the speaker. "Nishizumi Miho-san, please go on. You did this for the anime, so just go."

"Oh...thank you," Miho replied, then began:

"This story is called the 'Rise of Senshazonia,' because it is a big rewrite of SeekerMeeker's previous stories. Sure, he did amazing with his previous ones, but he felt displeased at both the progress and the worldbuilding in them. Hence, he decided to start with a new one, and this story is born. Once again, I am a main character in this story...

"Oh! I forgot to tell you! Before I do so, let me tell you something important":

* * *

 **Chapter 10**

"Every 10th chapter, starting with this one, will be a unique chapter. Unlike other chapters, which continue the storyline, **this chapter will be split into two parts: one is the recap section, and the other is a very short chapter. The recap section is not only a section explaining about the story so far, but also about some important points not yet mentioned, or clarifying some points.** However, this is subject to change, as this chapter is intended to not only continue the story, but also to explain more about the universe of 'Rise of Senshazonia.' Plus, 20th chapter, 30th chapter etc. are all subject to change, based on the need of the story."

"And," SeekerMeeker spoke. "The names of the girls known will start with their surnames, then their first names. I will interrupt if I need to."

"So," Miho said. "Without further ado, let's begin..."

* * *

 **Recap**

 **The Story So Far**

In general, Miho and her friends all got stuck in Latin America, after an invitation gone horribly wrong. When the Apocalypse suddenly struck, it drastically altered Latin America into Abya Yala, the term for the new landmass. Outwardly, Abya Yala looked like Latin America, with Central America, the Caribbean, and South America. However, it was now at least twice the size, with some new geographical features, such as new islands. The Apocalypse also altered the wildlife, so that it is more abundant and more "primitive" than ever before. Above all, the Apocalypse altered the humans. Only the humans who escaped, like Maho and Alice, were apparently unaffected.

Miho and her friends, however, became **Senshazons** , a new race of amazon humanoids with affinity for nature, magic, and even spirituality. Technically, they were far superior to humans, biologically and psychologically. However, they developed a key weakness to car exhaust and most forms of air pollution. Furthermore, within the Senshazon race are special girls known as **Virago** , who have real control over magic, although the true extent is unclear. Currently, the Senshazons were scattered throughout Abya Yala, and Miho's group are trying to find out what was going on. At the same time, they were trying to find a "cure" for their condition...

One key for the cure would be an unlikely source: the Sunshade Industries. The Sunshade is a hostile faction, bent on taking over Abya Yala, by utilizing the magical essence of the Senshazons, which unfortunately involved forceful extractions that led to death. The Sunshade would not be the only enemy; the Senshazons had already encountered the Salvajes or Selvagens, orc-like humanoids who were now bent on mindless, reckless rampages.

Through it all, Miho and her Senshazon companions led the way, in hopes of finding out what was going on. With the help of human friends, they hoped to find a cure for their situation. Miho also kept her family in mind, hoping that all was well for them...

* * *

 **New Ooarai**

New Ooarai is the city-state and the capital base for the girls of the Ooarai Girls Academy. Composed of girls from all walks of life, this state is intended to be just a "temporary base," from which the girls are trying to find a way to get home. In the meantime, the girls have successfully built up a self-sufficient society, which resembles both their school carrier, and the town of Ooarai. It had everything that a nation needed, from farms and mines to communications centers and even electronics service center (yes, they actually made one).

However, it is eclectic in nature. Ooarai is known for the combination of both a standard school uniform, and a poorly enforced dress code. Now that the girls are literally free, they dress in a wide variety of clothing, with some even dressed in only bikinis!

"Wear some clothing!" Sodoko frequently roars.

"I AM wearing clothing," a girl grunts, gathering produce in a red bikini outfit; her figure was...lovely.

"Wear FARMING clothing, not bikinis!" Sodoko roars again. "Or the only boys will look at you!"

Yosef and Mo both slapped themselves, just to try and focus...

...anyway, architecture is also eclectic; now that the girls have learned about new ideas from the secret vaults, the girls have built structures in a variety of styles, ranging from the traditional Japanese to the modernist styles of Bauhaus and Brutalist architecture. They are made from a variety of materials, ranging from local timber to concrete and super-steel, made from the secrets of the vaults. The walls and defenses are particularly well-built with the strongest materials, in order to defend the base.

"I am...perplexed," Yosef admits, watching the girls. "I mean, look...you girls seem to be enjoying this."

"Japan is a culture that values conformity," Miho explains. "I guess...now that we're actually free, we're enjoying it."

"And wanting to go back to Japan?" Yosef asks.

Miho blinks.

* * *

 **Anglerfish Team**

In practice, the leader of the entire base, the Anglerfish Team is in charge of the wellbeing of New Ooarai. Hence, the Anglerfish Team is considered to be the most important team. **Nishizumi Miho** is the leader, and so the whole life of New Ooarai is essentially in her hands. Hence, her being captured...is not good. She is now at the mercy of the Sunshade Industries, as she deliberately handed herself over, in order to save the Impaler's life. Although she doubts her own actions, she has a strong sense of honor, morality, and conscience. Unfortunately, this causes her to worry about losing others.

 **Takebe Saori** is the most feminine member of the team, aside from Hana. She is bright and cheerful, in charge of the "feminine" roles of New Ooarai, such as cooking and home economics. She is the Public Relations Manager back in Oooarai; hence, she is in also in charge of the whole "image" of New Ooarai. In her spare time, she loves to read girly magazines, while giving out love advices to girls who are...interested in the only men in the base. **Isuzu Hana** is the current President of the old school; hence, she is technically a President of New Ooarai in theory. Calm and graceful, she is reliable and loves flowers; hence, she is mostly in charge of gardening and decorating New Ooarai.

 **Akiyama Yukari** is the tomboy who admires Senshadou, and has a good amount of military knowledge and survival expertise. It also helps that since she is technically the Vice President of Ooarai, she has some political clout in New Ooarai. She is caring and admires other people's positive attitudes, and is in charge of many aspects of New Ooarai, from hunting to survival cooking. **Reizei Mako** is the last member of the team; she is still not an early bird, blaming her low blood pressure (despite its reduced effect due to being Senshazon). Despite her reserved, relatively emotionless appearance, she is actually warm-hearted, and is among the first to worry about Miho's disappearance. Being the smartest in New Ooarai, she has vast knowledge, and is starting to get serious about her roles in New Ooarai.

* * *

 **Turtle Team**

The Turtle Team composes the former leaders of the Student Council. In New Ooarai, in practice the girls are secondary leaders, in charge of leading New Ooarai in case if the Anglerfish Team cannot for various reasons. **Kadotani Anzu** is the former President, infamous for her love of dried sweet potatoes; she even used her executive power to...literally direct the construction of entire farms solely dedicated to growing sweet potatoes (to the annoyance of some New Ooarai girls). **Kawashima Momo** is the former PR manager, who is still in charge of commanding many girls, due to her strong, outspoken personality. **Koyama Yuzu** is the former Vice President, who is now in charge of managing some finer details of leading New Ooarai.

* * *

 **Duck Team**

The Duck Team consists of members of the defunct volleyball club. In New Ooarai, the girls continue their training regimes, and now have co-opted their volleyball skills into doing the "blue-collar" jobs of New Ooarai, from logging to transporting heavy goods. Hence, the girls are highly reliable, garnering much respect from the more practically-minded members of New Ooarai. Indeed, "We need the Duck" has become a rather popular phrase, in which some girls request the Duck Team, just to help with manual labor. Still, being sportswomen at heart, they have an entire gym as their own clubroom.

 **Isobe Noriko** is the leader of her team; she is in charge of maintaining both the gym and the requests from other girls, who need their service. **Kondou Taeko** is great at socialization, and is in charge of managing the radio requests in the gym; she is the master of jump serves. **Kawanishi Shinobu** is the most level-headed of her team; she specializes in attacks in volleyball. **Sasaki Akebi** specializes in blocking; she is the most mistaken for an American.

"Is she an American?" Mo asks one time.

"Yeah," Yosef joins. "I am wondering the same thing."

"She's Japanese," Mako answers.

"What?!" both men gasp, blinking.

"Really?" Mako groans.

* * *

 **Hippo Team**

The Hippo Team consists of history buffs, who love to specialize in a specific historical theme. In New Ooarai, they like to add historical references to almost everything; although annoying to some girls, their historical expertise proved to be a lot more important than expected. **Caesar** loves Roman history, and has started take an interest in Italian history. **Erwin** has expanded her interest in European history, to include more focus on European diaspora. **Saemonza** and **Oryou** both have it interesting; they both now focus on some specific points of Japanese diaspora in the New World. While Saemonza focuses more on the Japanese history in Brazil, Oryou is more into the history of Japanese in the US.

On a side note, they have real names:

Caesar-Takako Suzuki

Erwin-Matsumoto Riko

Saemonza-Sugiyama Kiyomi

Oryou-Nogami Takeko

* * *

 **Rabbit Team**

The Rabbit Team is the largest Ooarai Senshadou team, with six members. All of them are first-year students; hence, being Virago, all of them are now in charge of the first-year students, who are (understandably) the most nervous of the students. In fact, the Rabbit Team has its own building, the "All-First-Year Club," where they gather up most of the first-years, and discuss about how they can help out New Ooarai. They are a cute bunch, and their innocence shines.

 **Sawa Azusa** is the manager-type girl, and is the leader of not only her team, but also for most first-year students. **Yamagou Ayumi** is the tallest in her team, with a boyish personality. **Maruyama Saki** is the quietest of the group; Miho commends her for her excellent listening skills. **Sakaguchi Karina** is known for her enthusiastic, slightly hyperactive personality; she loves to rush at things. **Utsugi Yuuki** is patient, with a weird quirk about her, like Hana. **Oono Aya** is the bespectacled girl with twintails, who cheers everyone up; she also seems to attract boys' attention quite well.

"She's cute," even Usamah notes one time, gazing upon her.

"Ah, no," Aya answers, shivering.

* * *

 **Mallard Team**

The Mallard Team is the team of public morals committee, now officially the "Center of Public Morality and Sanity" (or something like that). **Sono Midoriko** is now the official leader as of now, alongside **Gotou Moyoko** (Gomoyo) and **Konparu Nozomi** (Pazomi). Together, they lead a large group of like-minded girls, in charge of maintaining the "public morals" of New Ooarai. However, they get into conflict with many girls for their views, especially with the delinquents.

* * *

 **Anteater Team**

The Anteater Team consists of three online gamers, who are now trying to find a way to reactivate their old games (well, good luck with that, since there is no Internet as of now). **Nekota** is the leader, who is now in charge of finding a way to regain Internet connections. With **Momoga** and **Piyotan** , she and a group of like-minded girls spend their days, testing out a variety of communications tools, in an effort to regain contact.

Interestingly, despite this, they are one of the strongest teams, because of their training. Deciding to help improve their team, the girls decide to train hard, and are now extremely strong. Hence, Nekota has her team and like-minded members to supplement their electronics testing with physical training. Hence, Nekota also gets requests from other girls for help with manual labor.

* * *

 **Leopon Team**

The Leopon Team consists of members of the automotive club. In New Ooarai, they have their own garage and maintenance facility, in which they manage the engineering and repair of a variety of machines. Although they have taught others how to maintain vehicles, the Leopon Team is the main group in charge.

 **Nakajima** is the main leader, who is also in charge of operating the radio requests for maintenance. Each of her teammate, however, has a distinct quirk. **Hoshino** likes to work with her work jacket off, exposing her white tank top, while **Suzuki** likes to wear dresses outside of work (in fact, despite being the tallest in her group, she is the most "feminine"). **Tsuchiya** is the most relaxed of her group, with a frequent smile on her face.

* * *

 **Shark Team**

The Shark Team consists of delinquent students from the Naval Studies Department. It is the main leader of the delinquents, who got stuck in Abya Yala. The teammates operate their own "illegal" New Bar Donzoko, which is a revamped version of their old bar. Shark Team members and their like-minded delinquents frequently get into conflict with the Mallard Team and public morals supporters.

 **Ogin** is the leader or "captain" of her team and the delinquents. Now that her group is free in Abya Yala, Ogin enjoys challenge and adventure, frequently venturing out as scout with her group. **Rum** is a short-ish girl with pinkish afro, with a penchant for drinking (although she rarely gets drunk). **Murakami** is the most robust of her group, with a penchant for rash and reckless behavior; her very presence is rather intimidating. **Flint** is noted for very feminine appearance: tall with long hair, and wearing a long dress with a slit on the side. She moves gracefully, with a microphone for singing. **Cutlass** is the only girl with a barmaid attire; she's expert with it, and she is frequently busy in the bar.

* * *

 **Yosef**

Yosef is the sole survivor of his IDF brigade, and is integral to the advancement of New Ooarai. Being the only Israeli in the New Ooarai domain right now, he can bypass the many security measures, which protect all Israeli secret vaults. As a token of appreciation to the girls for keeping him alive, he gives them explicit and official permission to use the technologies and all research ideas within the vaults. As a result, the girls have a great sense of respect for him.

* * *

 **Mo and Usamah**

Mo and Usamah both are Palestinians, a primarily Arab people who have historically occupied what is now Israel, West Bank, and Gaza Strip. Due to Israel's presence, Israelites and Palestinians did not have the best of relations, leading to much fighting. However, contrary to popular opinion, Palestinians are divided; some are in favor of reconciling with Israel, while others want it (the state of Israel) gone. Mo represents the side of Palestinians who are willing to reconcile and negotiate with Israel, while Usamah is the opposite. Hence, while Mo could move around freely, Usamah is kept in a prison cell, in order to prevent him from escaping and causing chaos.

* * *

 **Sunshade Industries**

The Sunshade Industries is a megacorporation, in charge of a variety of goods and services, from electronics and machinery to agriculture and mining. In order to avoid being accused of monopolization, it separates its many facilities into a variety of "puppet" businesses. In reality, the Sunshade is a massive corporate body with billions of revenue and millions of workers and supporters; it even has the support of a variety of governments, from Macau to Turkey. However, it has the great amount of support from Venezuelan, Brazilian, and other Latin American governments in exile, because the Sunshade is one of the few factions that has managed to infiltrate Abya Yala. There, it has established a number of bases of operation, officially to recolonize the lands for the governments in exile to come back.

In reality, the Sunshade seeks to create its own state, while gradually usurping control from other factions, both known and unknown. Tired of international investigations and bureaucratic red tape, the Sunshade hopes to start from scratch, by making contracts with a variety of businesses and governments. The Sunshade even has made an official contract with the UN. However, the Sunshade is in a hurry, as the UN and others have made contracts with other factions...

* * *

 **Magic and Technology**

Magic is still a mystery, but there are a few key details that are worth noting. First of all, Senshazons can use magic but not fully; they use it to improve work, but that technically is all they can do. Second, the Virago girls have real control, such as actually causing plants to grow in mere seconds. Last but not least, each Senshazon has a reserve of magical energy, which the Sunshade is incredibly interested in; in general, the Virago girls are more valued, because they have at least ten times the amount of energy.

More understandable is the technology. From the Israeli vaults, the New Ooarai girls now have a variety of ultra-advanced technologies that they can use to improve their survival. The girls now incorporate the use of vertical farms (in order to expand the total number of farmland possible), advanced drills, and other equipment well beyond the modern era.

* * *

 **Tanks**

In Senshazon society, tanks now are among the main hearts of the state. Unlike normal tanks, these new tanks-both the Senshadou and the Merkava-have unusual features, most of them magical. One trait is the "hammerspace interior," in which the inside of each tank is much larger than scientifically feasible. This allows the girls to store more ammo and more goods than possible, making the tanks more reliable.

With superalloys, advanced display systems, and other gear, the tanks are much better designed to survive in the wild. They are designed with the safety of the girls in mind, as they want to minimize the possible casualty. Still, there is always the risk...

* * *

"So that concludes the recap section," Miho said. "Now, unto the actual story."

* * *

 **The Meeting, Again**

" **Allow me introduce you** ," said a soldier nonchalantly. "This is the base that you have escaped from. Now, you're back."

Miho nodded silently, as she walked with the group of soldiers, surrounded by them. They all looked like some futuristic soldiers, with heavy armor and rifles too advanced to be normal guns. She noted that they really looked like soldiers from some sci-fi video games. Strangely, they did not tie her up, letting her walk freely in the middle of the group, as if they knew that she would not escape.

"Welcome to our base," the Impaler said, nonchalantly as she walked on all fours, to the right of Miho.

"Can we talk?" Miho whispered.

"Don't worry," the Impaler said in her very normal, human voice. "At this point, since you're here, there is no point in hiding things."

Miho nodded grimly.

"What is this exactly?" she asked openly.

"This is one of the Sunshade labs," the Impaler said, as they went through a glass tunnel. Miho gasped, as she saw rooms after rooms, all of them glass so that she could see through. In each room, scientists were analyzing some data, while others were...

Miho gasped.

"Yes," the Impaler said, sighing. "Like I said, plenty of experiments."

Miho struggled to control her breathing, as what she saw was horrifying. All of them featured girls to a various degree. One room had a single girl, strapped to some strange table, while the scientists around her were analyzing, as if they were studying an alien specimen. In another room, five girls were forced into cylindrical chambers.

"Those five..." Miho tried to speak.

"You got it," the Impaler spoke, sighing. "That's what happened to my sister."

Miho then looked away, praying silently for the victims. In yet another room, she saw a girl lying on a dissection table, and a few scientists were sharpening blades. Miho could not take it, and tore her eyes away from the horrors.

"Well," the Impaler remarked. "It makes you think: if you're human, they won't do this. Well, you girls are Senshazons, after all...After all, the human rights committees focus on rights for HUMANS, not for SENSHAZONS."

Miho shivered.

"But aren't we still humans?" she asked.

The Impaler only shrugged.

"To be honest," she answered. "I know the difference between a Human and a Senshazon; I can smell you. You are Senshazon, not Human."

"But aren't we still human _inside_?" Miho tried to reason, sweating a little.

"Good question," the Impaler noted. "I will be frank with you. When the UN and all those 'high, civilized, international authorities' are talking about HUMAN rights, keep in mind that the human rights do NOT include the soul."

"Huh?" Miho asked, puzzled.

"I mean come on," the Impaler retorted. "In secular society, human rights are a VERY broad topic. What counts as 'human rights' varies by state and even individual. Look at the US: they have the 'right to remain silent' and the 'right to have arms.' OK, maybe I am going off topic, and ignore my remark about soul. I will put it simply:

 **"From my lessons back in school, human rights are essentially some sort of 'moral principles or norms by which humans adhere to. Remember that this is a definition set up by those from Western Europe, even though it is not endemic to Europe. In general, human rights are inalienable, fundamental rights 'to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a _human_ being.'"**

"Uh oh," Miho then noted, realizing.

"That's right," the Impaler said, as they continued to pass through more glass chambers with more experimentations and other questionable acts. "Human rights are defined for those who are 'human beings.' That definition technically does NOT fit Senshazons, since they are a distinct SPECIES."

"But I have all of the memories of being a human!" Miho declared. "Doesn't that make me still human, somehow?!"

"Hey," the Impaler said with a shrug. "Do you know that there is one good thing about NOT being human?"

"Huh?"

"When I became Impaler," the Impaler said. "I lost all of the...what do you call it? HUMAN biases, sort of. Not just some memories, but also biases. I actually saw and learned about the human nature, in ways I have NEVER seen. Look at all these human scientists...They have no qualms about dissecting or experimenting those Senshazons, because they are biologically NOT human. Hence, they are legally allowed to do so, by the UN Council."

"What?!" Miho gasped.

 **"Before invading Abya Yala," the Impaler said. "The Sunshade managed to obtain a special permit, allowing it to 'analyze and understand' anything 'alien' in this new world called Abya Yala. If they find some extinct species, including human species, we have the legal right to analyze them."**

Miho paled. She now understood even more...of the warning from the Warning Altar.

"Wait a minute!" Miho said. "What about the altars?"

"Aha," the Impaler said with a smile. "They are disappearing fast, because you girls are now getting better. The altars are just a temporary thing, allowing you Senshazons to have full control of magic. Keep in mind that you girls did not know magic yet, which is why the altars exist."

Suddenly, Miho noticed some familiar storage tanks.

"What are those?" she asked, using her outstretched hand to "point" at the tanks.

"Tanks that store poisonous gases," the Impaler replied. "The kind used to both incapacitate you, and to mutate us."

Miho gasped.

"In gas form," the Impaler explained. "The gases are harmless, just immobilizing you. But to test how powerful our regenerative powers are, the scientists can...inject the chemicals directly in."

"And..."

"Well," the Impaler grunted, showing herself. "You see what happens."

 _So_ , Miho thought. _In small amounts, the gases and this magic are harmless. But in large amounts...but I am still unsure about magic?!_

"Where are we going?" Miho asked, noticing a door in the distance.

"There," the Impaler replied. "To the office and the center of this lab. Oh, by the way, you should choose your words wisely. That's my best advice."

They approached the door, and Miho now noticed additional tunnels, which she did not notice before.

"I have to go," the Impaler said. "Good luck-"

"Wait!" Miho said. "Sol-soldiers, can I have a word with her?"

The soldiers looked at each other.

"She's gonna be gone," one of them reasoned. "Let her have a final word with the Impaler."

 **Miho breathed, and then hugged the Impaler.**

"I wish you well," she whispered.

The Impaler blinked, then sniffed.

"I wish I can cry," the Impaler stammered. "But Impalers have no tears."

"You are still a girl at heart," Miho said, letting her go. "Good luck."

"And God bless," the Impaler said, before being dragged away by the soldiers.

"Ready yet?" the cold voices of the soldiers echoed.

Miho breathed.

"Let's go," she replied.

The doors opened, creaking slowly like some haunted doors. Inside, Miho noticed that it was much like a typical office room, with a mahogany table, two monitor screens on top, and a high, sleek chair. Miho raised an eyebrow, as the chair looked silver and smooth, out-of-place in the Victorian-style feel of the office room.

"Move," the soldiers grunted, and she moved forward.

She then stopped, as the doors behind her closed.

"Welcome back," a familiar voice echoed, as the chair turned around.

"I am here," Miho quietly replied, recognizing the figure. "Kobayashi Renta."

"Just call me RK," he replied, stretching with a sly grin. "Finally, we have the prize."

* * *

 **Oh wow, three chapter drafts done in one week. First, I finished chapter 8 and published it, then wrote AND finished chapter 9 about three days later. And now...this.**

 **Reviews, likes, and follows are still appreciated.**

 **I wish Miho well. What will happen next?**


	11. Chapter 11: The Sunshade

**And now...the approaching ordeal.**

 **Finally, I have implemented an idea that I have been aching to add, which I failed to since last year.**

 **This is why I started this story, in order to try and add some ideas that I did not add last year.**

 **And here it is. What is that idea? If you're not sure, it's...well, I am giving away too much.**

 **Read on, please.**

* * *

 **Rise of Senshazonia**

* * *

 **TABLE OF CONTENTS II**

 **Chapter 11: The Sunshade**

 **Chapter 12: (to be announced)**

* * *

 **Chapter 11: The Sunshade**

 **A Sunshade Secret Lab #XX**

 **Somewhere between Mount Roraima and Caracas, Venezuela**

 **5:30 PM; April 2, 20XX**

"Today is April 2," RK said. "I wish that it was April 1, so that I can pull a joke on you."

If Miho was a little meaner, she would have gritted her teeth in anger. However, she stood still and cordial, in order to try and make the best of the situation.

"But this is no April Fools," RK muttered, getting up to walk around her. Miho kept her head straight, as she looked beyond the glass wall that was behind:

It was a massive, hollow area, as if it was a massive chamber to launch a lunar rocket, with glass chambers circling it around.

"Ah," RK said, walking to the window. "This is the main experimental chamber. We conduct our greatest experiments here. Come look."

Miho obeyed, walking towards the glass. Behind her, a whole group of soldiers followed, guns raised.

"Don't worry about her," RK said. "I have studied her behavior; there is no way that she'll try and strangle or do anything against me."

The two then looked down.

"What's going on?" Miho asked.

"A new experiment," RK said.

Miho watched, as she saw two creatures, just like the Impaler she met, drag a single girl. Miho could tell that she was a Senshazon, because she was taller than the human soldiers, and emitted a faint aura that she distinctly felt. She gasped, as the two monsters strapped her to what looked like a stasis cell, chained within the cylindrical chamber within the giant chamber. The girl looked a little unconscious, unable to resist.

"Watch this," RK said, taking out a microphone. "Ready?"

"Test subject #1968 is ready to go," a gruff voice echoed from the microphone.

"Begin."

Miho bit her lips, as she _knew_ that she had no power to do anything. She wanted to save the girl, but she wisely recognized that in order for her to survive, she HAD to behave. She watched, as the cylindrical chamber suddenly glowed a strange yellow color. The trapped girl immediately screamed, as strange electrical sparks burst all around. The creatures and the scientists were safe, protected by the glass chambers surrounding the giant room. After a few agonizing seconds, the screams eventually faded away, and Miho saw what looked like a battery canister, now glowing bright; the color looked white and...sad.

"Not enough energy," RK mumbled. "Take her away; she's trash."

One side of Miho wanted to punch RK, but one side of her pitied the girl. The same two monsters then came out, as the cylinder opened up. The chains unlocked, and the girl's limp body fell down with a thud, echoing throughout the giant room. The two held up the body, and Miho gulped as she saw one salivate.

"Eat later," RK commanded. "Just dispose of it outside."

The two obeyed, and carried the limp body away, while the scientists inspected the gathered energy, while cleaning up the facility.

"Well?" RK asked. "What do you think?"

 **"Sick," was all Miho said.**

"Correct," RK replied. "I have decided this long ago. So, are you curious about the whole Sunshade business?"

Miho looked at him with determined eyes, and nodded silently.

"Sit down," he said.

She sat on a chair. Although it was comfy and soft, the atmosphere was not.

"Let me tell you more about us," he said, starting a long rant:

* * *

"A few decades ago," he explained. "We were just a dismally small business, which was on the verge of closure. However, WWII began, and we took the advantage, becoming a major business. We called ourselves the Sunshine Corps back then."

 _That sounds nicer than now_ , Miho thought.

"However!" he grunted. "Our first managers and CEO believed that it sounded too...girly, so we changed it to 'Sunshade,' in order to make it sound mature."

Miho could not help but make a small expression of disgust at that; she even raised an eyebrow, too.

"Anyway!" he continued. "That was FYI, so let's get to the important parts: who we are and our purposes etc. Sunshade is essentially a megacorporation, controlling a variety of goods and services, up to a level impossible for true corporations. However, due to monopoly laws and all that trash regulation, we had to separate our business into multiple facilities. In reality, all of them are grouped together as one. One of them works as a sponsor of MEXT."

Miho gasped.

"That's one reason for your special treatment," he said. "And I am serious; you are of interest to our corporation, because of your upset victories against both Kuromorimine and Selection University. Because of that, we've been directing some of our stocks and supplies into the welfare of Ooarai Girls Academy."

"And...?" Miho asked. She did not like where this was heading.

"Well," RK said, turning to face her. His eyes were black, but Miho felt something deeper...

"OK," RK said. "I will just be blunt with you: we've been interested in you and your school. If you cooperate with us, everyone whom you want to be free, _unless things happen_ , will be spared, even those who are Senshazons."

Miho said nothing, because she felt something. **The three words "unless things happen" sound a little too hopeful, as if RK was _hoping_ that the deal would be in his favor.**

"What does this have to do with me and your company?" Miho asked, careful to say the right words.

"Generally put," RK said. "I will explain fully the true history of Sunshade. Remember I said that Sunshade was formerly a tiny business? We found an altar."

Miho blinked, staring at him.

"That's right," RK bluntly declared. " **Sunshade became powerful, simply by discovering an altar that granted us magic, albeit limited. We found it in a remote location in Newfoundland of Canada. However, despite the limits, the magic from that altar worked wonders; we were among those who participated in assisting the US forces in defeating the Nazis and all those fascists and idiots.** "

 _I hope you're NOT one of them_ , Miho thought.

"And we have found more altars," RK said. "In fact, for some reason, the altars appear to occur only when something catastrophic happens. Sometimes, they occur during earthquakes and other natural disasters. Other times, they appear only when man-made disasters happen. And don't jump to conclusions: we caused none of those disasters. We simply tracked down these _anomalies_ , and have become adept at finding disasters and analyzing them."

Miho raised her hand.

"Yes?"

"And that's how you all came to Abya Yala," Miho inferred. "Your company doubles as an agency to track disasters around the world."

"Correct!"

"But your real reason is to find altars, right?"

"No."

"No?!" Miho reacted, surprised.

"Normally yes," he explained. "However, at the turn of the year 2000, our magical reserves dropped suddenly."

"Wait," Miho interjected. "Let me try and see if I understand what you are saying: long story short, **before the company lost magic, the Sunshade was a small business that suddenly flourished, after discovery of an altar that grants some magic. Using magic, Sunshade rose to fame and fortune, becoming the megacorporation that it is today.** "

"You nailed it better than I did!" RK said, sighing. "You are also way above that pesky cousin of Renta Tsuji, although I hate to say his name here. Ahem! Anyway, yes, that's why your corporation boomed.

"But at the turn of the year 2000, the altars suddenly and mysteriously stopped working. We still had some magic reserves, so we used some of those to learn about what had happened. It turns out that...some others found altars."

"Wait a minute," Miho said. "That means that your company Sunshade was the only one who knew about magic?"

"Correct," RK admitted with a sigh. "We have billions of revenue and millions of workers and supporters; only the highest and those in Abya Yala know about magic. For others, we simply call it 'business miracle' and 'energy.'"

 _Of course_ , Miho thought. _Nobody will believe that a corporation became rich by CHEATING with magic._

"Of course," RK said. "It sounds shady, but since there is no law against using magic, we easily outdid other corporations. We even almost had a chance to rewrite anti-monopoly laws, but a good number of Americans, including some die-hard fanatics of 'freedom,' had enough clout to hinder our plan. We even tried to use magic to silence their voice...only to discover that we're not alone."

Miho blinked.

"That happened around 2000," he continued. "Remember our short talk in the gas chamber? I said something about pastors, right?"

"Right," Miho said. "I remember that..."

"And remember that we are headquartered in Canada, because of Snowden's exposure of the US government's extensive surveillance program? And such and such?"

Miho thought, then gasped.

"Wait a minute!" Miho said. "Weren't those pastors...from the US?"

RK grinned.

"You are good at listening," RK noted. "I have said only about half of what I said before. Yes, we decided to remain 'small but powerful,' but times have changed. We rose quickly, becoming well-known in order to destroy competition."

"Which includes other companies and peoples who found the altars," Miho interjected.

"Correct!" RK said. "That same pastors who told us about knowing our secret? They were actually American missionaries, who were working at a local Canadian church. Somehow, they discovered our secret, and have managed to...somehow, find a way to destroy our monopoly over magic."

"How?"

"We don't really know," RK admitted. "We believe that the pastors used connections, both human and online, to spread some rumors, in order to force us to deal with legal situations. While we were preoccupied, some of them discovered our secrets, and somehow found more altars. We assumed that being Christians, they should NOT be using magic and all that superstitious stuff."

"And they...did?" Miho asked.

"We have sketchy evidence," RK said. "But what we do know is this: those pastors spread the information, and multiple businesses apparently discovered other altars, and used them to rapidly rise to power. Realizing that we lost our monopoly, we had to fight hard. Fortunately, we amassed a vast fortune, and spent a LOT to not only win lawsuits, but also to destroy any company with altar magic. Well, one of our fiercest rivals was New Silicon."

"New Silicon?"

"We defeated it years ago," RK said. "When Renta and I were teenagers. We found out that it was the one with an ENTIRE map detailing where there altars were. We drove it into bankruptcy, and salvaged the map...only to find bits of it gone. Other companies soon got the bits, and they competed against us. We were close to finally regaining our control of magic when...the Apocalypse occurred."

Miho gasped, while RK suddenly grew quiet. Silence pervaded the room, with the only noise being them panting, and some distant screams outside.

"What...what happened?" Miho finally broke the silence.

"ALL of the altars stopped working!" he suddenly roared, causing Miho to jump. "After years of hard work, we were finally becoming the ONE company to control magic and...all gone. Suddenly, we learned that this region, the region of Latin America, became Abya Yala, and we realized that the prophecy from the pastors became true."

"That the 'land of the Incas'," Miho noted. "Will become Abya Yala, the 'land of vital blood.'"

"Yes," he said with a sigh. "Technically, some of the altars worked, but only those in Abya Yala, and they have gotten incredibly rare. Plus, when I said about altars that stopped working, all of the altars in our possession stopped working. Sorry for the outburst.

RK coughed, but had a strange smile on his face.

 **"And you are now a KEY," he replied. "The reason why I spilled so many beans to you is this: you escaped from the gas chamber, which NOBODY had done before. We've done this for weeks, even months, and not a single Senshazon escaped! You found a key to overcome the Senshazons' one and only REAL weakness. Therefore, I offer you this: if you tell us that secret, then your school will be fully supported for eternity, and that all of you will be set free."**

That sounded like a great plan, but Miho suspected something.

"No," Miho replied. "I am not selling my soul for freedom or for you."

RK smiled, and Miho did not like that.

"Maybe I will have to force you," RK said. "If you don't, the Impaler that you befriended will die."

"No."

RK blinked, surprised at the clear response.

"What?" RK asked. "But you befriended her, and Number 316 will absolutely die if you defy me."

"She told me," Miho said.

* * *

 **Flashback to a few hours ago...**

As Miho watched the soldiers come near, the Impaler suddenly gave her a note. It was white but smeared with dirt, but Miho saw the words clear:

THEY WILL KILL ME ANYWAY. RK WILL TRY AND TAKE ADVANTAGE. THANK YOU.

Miho sniffed, and tore out the paper, drenching it with water to destroy it. The Impaler nodded in gratitude, as the soldiers drew near...

* * *

"Clever girl," RK admitted. "I forgot her name, but no wonder. Well, since you have outwitted me, then how about this: **either you tell me, or you will be experimented**."

Miho gulped. She obviously saw everything that she encountered: the inhuman experiments upon the poor girls. She sweated, as the screams and echoes of pain and torture resonated within her very mind. She suddenly envisioned her friends, her community, her family...all swirling in a strange mass of pain and dilemma.

"Well?"

Miho breathed, then stared at RK with sharp eyes.

"Experiment me," she replied. "If you dare."

"And why?" RK asked, this time not very surprised.

Miho sighed.

"I know that life is tough," she admitted. "I want to go home, be normal, and be the girl whom I have always wanted to be. I am an outcast in my family, although not totally. But we are not just Japanese girls who want to go home; we are humans at heart, who want to care about the bigger world."

"And?"

"I choose experiment," she replied clearly. "So that my friends and classmates will live, so that they can see their parents, their loved ones, their very family...so that...they can finally be happy and free."

"And?"

Miho noted that RK was doing something.

 _He's obviously trying to catch me in my own words_ , Miho thought. _But he's not ready for this..._

"We move forward."

RK blinked.

"We move forward," Miho repeated, walking towards him slowly. "The past is past; we move on."

The soldiers raised their guns at her, while RK stood his ground. However, his forehead started to glitter with sweat.

"We move forward," Miho said, still approaching him. "The present is the gift of life; when life gives you the present, make a _present_ out of it."

RK slowly backed away.

"We move forward," Miho said. "The future is the horizon in the distance, where we reach the highest of our dreams."

The soldiers kept their guns aimed, but they were starting to sweat.

"We move forward," Miho finally said, as RK was now right at the wall. **"Because no matter what happens, even if I have to destroy my dream, my life, my very soul...my friends will always be there to support me. Freedom is never free. Millions have died in wars, in order that their children will live in a better world, a world of peace and true happiness. Freedom cannot be cheated, even by _magic_. You cannot simply and _magically_ conjure freedom; freedom is earned, even at a high cost. Freedom is _beyond_ magic. If I have to die to keep my secret, then so be it. I rather see my friends live free, then die trying.**"

Miho's last words echoed inside of the room.

 _Clap-clap-clap._

Miho blinked, then turned around.

"Fine words," a woman in formal attire said. Miho noticed that she was almost dressed like her mother, except with a more bluish tint to the jacket. Instead of long pants, she wore a bluish-black skirt that went down to her knees; it was smooth and not frilly. She had long, brown hair with hazel eyes.

"Ch-Choi Bada-san!" RK stammered.

 _Choi Bada?_ Miho thought. _Wait a minute..._

"I am not Japanese," she replied. "But let me get to the point: I am Choi Bada, and I was one of the prime peoples who managed the Chonghaejin Marine, which operated the infamous Sewol ferry ship."

"Sewol...ah! The sinking incident!" Miho gasped. "Poor people..."

"You have unusual sympathy," Bada said. "Which is why I now work here, in order to escape prosecution. Anyway, RK-san, you can stand aside. This girl is mine to test."

"You-you may," RK said, stepping back. "Here."

He pushed a button on his desk, and a second chair suddenly appeared from the floor. Bada nodded, and sat down.

"You can sit down," Bada said.

Miho sat down. From the corners of her eyes, Miho saw that there were now more soldiers at the door.

"You have impressed me," Bada said. "And scared even RK out of his wits. What an iron will, the mark of a true Nishizumi. I have seen your battles; we have known for cunning nature, but this other side of you...is impressive. Therefore, I will honor your deal: since you refuse to tell us the secret, we'll instead give you the option of touring our facility."

"Now wait a minute!" RK objected. "Look, she escaped ONCE. She can do it again!"

"Then," Bada said. "We'll take her to a facility where she will have to choose the worst experiments possible."

"The Zero Room?!" RK gasped.

Miho noticed that a good number of the soldiers, 15 out of 30 or so, visibly shivered.

"That way," Bada said. "She will either honor her words, or tell us the secret. Let's go."

Miho saw two of the soldiers come to her sides, and a third one behind her. Miho knew what would happen, she quietly let the soldier cover her eyes with a black blind.

"Can you walk without seeing things?" Bada asked.

Miho stood up, surprised that she was unrestrained elsewhere. She then moved around, then stopped feet away from the nearest soldier. She then moved again, this time within inches of the wall.

"She has great sense," Bada said. "Typical of the Nishizumi. She'll make a fine specimen, if only we can convince her..."

"I am still going for experiment," Miho said, despite feeling a single sweat on her forehead.

"Alright then," Bada said. "We'll take you there. One of you, take out a pipe, and use it to lead her."

Miho felt a pipe poking at her left hand, which she grabbed on impulse.

"I am ready," Miho said.

Bada grinned.

"But is that necessary?!" RK objected. "I was about to GIVE her my own punishment!"

"You are just like Renta Tsuji," Bada said, causing him to flinch and rage. "Soldiers, please restrain your leader Renta Kobayashi. I mean, his name means 'little forest,' and his heart is just as small."

 _Why does she say that?_ Miho thought, as she followed the soldiers, gripping the pipe with her left hand. _Where are they taking me? The Zero Room? It must be bad..._

* * *

 **A few seconds later...**

"Here we are," Bada said. "Now, you can take off the blind."

Miho took it off.

"Huh?" she blinked.

"Yes," Bada said. "I keep my word. You are just downstairs, and we're going to show you the whole facility."

"Then why even blind her?" one of the soldiers suddenly spoke from behind.

"To test her trust," Bada said. "She's a good one. It'll be sad to see a fine specimen go."

Miho sweated a little, but followed suit.

"And so," Bada began. "Here is our facility..."

Miho was surprised at the openness of this strange woman named Choi Bada. Now that she saw her more closely, she looked even more like her mother, except with hazel eyes (sharper than her mother's) and brown hair (which looked slightly wavy). She told her all about the facility, down to every detail.

 _Why is she telling me everything?_ Miho thought. _This place is creepy enough._

"There is no point in hiding all of this," Bada said. "If you're going to die, anyway. However, it's my token of appreciation. Since nobody had spoken like that before, you are impressive."

Miho then tried to remember everything told. She noted that the facility was both clean and well-designed; it felt like a sci-fi lab. However, the rooms with experiments were stained with blood and all kinds of...stuff that Miho decided to forget.

They went down and down, until Miho saw a room. Above was the sign:

ZERO ROOM

"This is it," Miho uttered.

"Welcome," Bada said. "To your choose-your-own-punishment hell-room or something."

Miho gulped, and stepped in.

"Here," Bada said. "You will choose the experiment of your choice. Choose wisely, please."

Miho then looked around. It looked like a museum exhibit, except with displays of vials after vials. She looked at some labels:

DESTROYER

ANNIHILATOR

MURDERER

Miho shivered.

"Interesting, aren't they?" Bada said, watching her from the only door, guarded by numerous guards.

"We-well," Miho admitted. "They sure sound...strange."

"These vials are proven to turn you into what they say," Bada said. "But in reality, it's easier to simply inject the specimens with vials that...overwhelm the magical essence within."

"Huh?"

"Simply put," Bada said. "We extract some girls of their essence, refine it, and store it for use. With those, we analyze them to see whether we know what they are; we have done this with the altars before. For some, they are a perfect match; we store the canisters of magic that we KNOW will work."

"Such as?"

"Sunshade can multiply some gold bars," said Bada. "With a specific type of vial we call the 'Philosopher's Stone.' It is colored a mixture of swirling yellow and black. We had an altar with that, and we have found the exact same essence here."

 _And now you all do it upon_...Miho thought. _By murdering girls to get the magic out._

"But now," Miho said. "The only way to acquire this Philosopher's Stone...is to extract it out of certain girls."

"Correct," Bada replied curtly. "Now, check around. We have plenty of time. Even your base won't be here in time to save you."

Miho looked around. Suddenly, she saw something.

Far away, in an empty corner, was a single, cardboard box.

"What is this?" Miho asked.

"Somebody has been trying to dispose of it," Bada said. "You can check it out."

"You throw some vials away?" Miho asked, as she rummaged through.

"We don't throw away," Bada replied. "We alter them, in order to remove the magic out, so that nobody else can use it. And that thing..."

Bada blinked and paled, as she saw six vials, all tied together like a bandolier (pocketed belt for holding ammunition). The other soldiers also gasped.

"Hmm?" Miho wondered. "What is this?"

"Ah-ah," Bada replied, shivering.

Miho saw that ALL of the people there, the soldiers and Bada, visibly tremble.

"Are you kidding me?!" RK roared, as he crashed into the door, then opening it. "Ah-ah, Nishi-Nishizumi-senpai...eh...eh-eh...we'll give you a better concession. Ah-ah..."

"What's wrong with this?" Miho asked, inspecting it.

The six vials all were lined in numbers: the first one on the left was "1," while the last one on the right was "6." On a single strip that covered all was two words:

SUFFERING SIX

"Suffering Six?" Miho asked.

"Please!" Bada begged her. "Please do NOT drink that."

"Why?" Miho asked.

"We-well," RK stammered. "No-nobody has e-ever survived...that...unless you have "wills of steel"...but I don't think..."

"How about this?" Bada declared. "Mi-Miho dear, please hand us over that set of vials, and we'll free you."

"Why are you..." Miho trailed off. She then inspected the vials further, sensing that a few soldiers were trying to come near.

"Desperate?" Bada finished the sentence. "Because NOBODY has survived that. We have wasted too many specimens with that set. We somehow got a hold of a box of it, from another company. Apparently, they were trying to create some 'super-soldiers' out of it."

"What does these really do?" Miho asked. "Tell me, and I will give it to you if it's that dangerous."

"Don't tell her!" RK yelled. "Men! Stop her!"

"No!" Bada said. "Don't shoot or struggle here! This is too dangerous!"

The soldiers obeyed _her_ , and all of them backed away from Miho.

"Please tell me?" Miho asked.

Bada sighed.

"OK," she spoke. "The 'SUFFERING SIX' set of vials is a mysterious type of experiment. One time, we managed to infiltrate a secret Israeli base, which was testing with these vials. According to their research profiles, these vials were said to be 'gifts from God' in order to grant some 'powers beyond powers.' Well, we took note of that, and destroyed everyone in there, except for a female scientist and a male soldier."

Miho blinked, gasping internally.

 _The scientist and Yosef?!_ Miho thought. Suddenly, she looked at the vials. Sure enough, underneath the numbers were Hebrew letters, specifically that of Hebrew numerals.

"Rishon...sheni..." Miho mumbled, inspecting the letters. "Oh, they're all in line. Vial 1 is rishon and on."

Miho observed them.

"Alright!" Bada said. "Just please come and give us the vials."

"Why are you so set on disposing these?" Miho asked, staring at the people hard.

"It's because!" RK roared. "That whoever can drink ALL six can gain 'powers or angels' or something to help out!"

"RK!" Bada hissed. "You don't need to tell her THAT much! It's superstitious nonsense!"

 _Angels_...Miho thought. _Powers...angels...someone to help us...It's not so superstitious, after all.._

"Just give them to us!" Bada said, stomping towards her. "You're one of the finest specimens we have! And you're the first Nishizumi! We don't want to waste your time on such a lethal-"

"It's my choice!" Miho declared, popped the vial 1's lid, and drank it.

"MIHOOOO!"

* * *

 **This is it. An idea that I have wanted to implement since last year. For all of you readers who have read my previous stories, you may have wondered why I cancelled some projects, while putting others on hiatus.**

 **This is the reason why.**

 **I have finally implemented the Suffering Six idea, and oh boy, Miho will be in a world of trials.**

 **Next chapter will explore the Suffering Six.**

 **(Note: Choi Bada is not Japanese, by the way.)**

 **You are free to review, fave, follow etc., especially on what you all think the Suffering Six is.**

 **Panzer vor...or good luck, Nishizumi Miho.**


	12. Chapter 12: Suffering Six

**Thank you for your patience...  
**

 **After finishing up three chapters in one week...I suffered a colossal writer's block.**

 **Now, I have finally managed to upload this chapter! Sorry if it's not of top quality; it took me about two weeks to finish, because of my writer's block.**

* * *

 **Rise of Senshazonia**

 **Chapter 12: Suffering Six**

* * *

 **Suffering Six**

 **Little is known of this strange set of six vials. Although they look like six vials filled with transparent fluids, the set has gained notoriety among those who have managed to gain it. In general, what is known is this: anyone who drinks them all...will gain an unimaginable power of sort.**

* * *

 **New Ooarai**

 **Mount New Ooarai, Guiana Shield**

 **5:00 PM; April 2, 20XX**

"Hurry up!"

"I don't care!"

"Just go!"

"For Miho!"

Multiple voices roared, as the elevators worked frantically. They were all working hard to lower down 10 Merkava tanks, the only 10 in fully working order.

"HURRY UP AND GET NISHIZUMI!" Momo roared through her speaker.

"WE'RE TRYING OUR BEST!" Yosef roared back with his own speaker. "SHUT UP!"

"YOU SHUT UP!"

The two argued back and forth, but nobody bothered to interrupt. They were essentially speaking up for the mood; everybody felt just like Momo and Yosef.

"Miporin..." Saori whimpered, as she, Yosef, and the rest of the Anglerfish Team struggled to stay cool.

"Miho-san..." Hana sighed, concentrating on her gunner's equipment, in order to ensure that it was in top condition. In reality, she was also doing it to keep her mind preoccupied.

"Nishizumi-dono!" Yukari declared, trying to act tough. "I will save you!"

"Waugh-augh-mag-agh-oh..." Mako only stammered, as she prepared the tank to drive. As soon as the platform landed with a thud, she drove it out, and nine others followed suit.

"Remember!" Yosef called, coming out of the cupola. "All of you, this is an urgent mission! Simply put: **Operation Saving Private Miho**!"

Yosef roared from a Merkava driven by the rest of the Anglerfish Team.

"We know!" the others groaned, but even they were desperate, so much so that they had little time to think about the weird name of their operation.

"Just go already!" Momo roared from above.

However, the girls around them all roared in agreement. In reality, they were all calling through their radio systems, and from their hatches. Everybody was really feeling stressed out, more concerned with saving Miho than with careful planning. Fortunately, the Merkava tanks were magically enchanted, so that they had extra space in the back. Each tank was crammed with up to 12 clone-girls, not including the crew. Normally, Merkava tanks could carry personnel, but at the expense of ammo; however, being magically enchanted, the tanks did not suffer this problem. Still, it was crowded with a lot of gear, in order to raid the lab.

"Come-on-come-on!" Yosef growled, as the elevators groaned, struggling to lower down the tanks, which were very heavy. Despite this, all 10 tanks got down without any problem, and all of them rushed out.

"OK!" Yosef panted, checking the screens in his commander seat. "Girls, you ready?"

Yosef's tank went ahead, followed by four tanks, each driven by the Duck Team, the Hippo Team, the Leopon Team, and the Anteater Team. Behind them were six tanks, all driven by clone-girls. Because of this, the six tanks each had extra girls, going tank desant, sitting on top of the tanks; each had eight girls on top.

"Are you all ready?" Yosef roared, even though all of them were already going.

"YES!" the other curtly replied with a unified roar.

Yosef cleared his throat then boomed:

"GO!"

* * *

 **On the way to the secret lab...**

 **6:00 PM; April 2, 20XX**

About an hour passed, but it felt like mere minutes. The girls said little, very little, as they focused on driving and preparing their equipment. The girls on top of the tanks checked their equipment, ready to fire at any minute.

"Are we there yet?" one of the girls whispered.

"Not yet," the other whispered.

"What's that?" one of them gasped loudly. "I feel...something."

The others also sensed it too, as they neared their destination. Yosef got out of his hatch, watching the horizon.

"I felt it as well," he said, then came back in to check the screens. "It feels like...somebody's screaming in pain."

Suddenly, four screams rang out.

"What the?!" Yosef gasped, as his team's Merkava suddenly swerved back and forth. Although it managed to stay on track, it kept wobbling back and forth, as the four girls within screamed.

"Girls!?" Yosef shouted, getting back inside. "What's wrong?!"

The others also heard them scream.

"Saori-chan?!" Azusa gasped from her radio, as the redhead screamed and shook, as if possessed.

"Sorry-sorry!" Saori yelled, shaking furiously. "I-I-something-something-augh!"

She shook and banged her head into the radio station. The noise of the impact sent shivers down the spines of other girls.

"What's going on?!" Nakajima gasped.

Hana said nothing, but she was visibly shaking, sweating so much that her back was visibly wet.

"I-fine-fine-fine," she muttered, trying to restrain herself.

"You don't sound fine!" Noriko spoke. "What's going on there?"

Yukari punched the loader furiously and repeatedly, the sound echoing throughout the interior.

"Augh-ak-ah-ak-ak-ak-augh!" Yukari roared, pulling her hair in rage as she continued to punch her loading station.

"What's going on?!" Erwin's voice blared from the radio. "Guderian! Are you alright?"

"Guderian?" Yosef asked.

"Sorry Erwin!" Yukari screeched, who was the "Guderian" whom Erwin was speaking of. "But-but I feel so much pain!"

"What's going on here?!" Yosef stammered. "Wha-what happened to you all?"

"I-I think I know," Mako panted, as her hands shook violently, making it difficult to drive.

"Let me drive!" Yosef commanded.

"I can drive!" Mako yelled back in an unusually angry tone. "It's just...I think Miho's in trouble."

Yosef blinked, then nodded.

"GIRLS!" he roared into the radio, snatching the speaker away from Saori, who was still banging on her head against a wall. "HURRY!"

The others heard him loud and clear, as they all revved up their engines even faster. Even Mako, despite the pain, kept on driving.

"Calm down girls," Yosef tried to soothe them, as he rummaged his bag. "Do I have something...any suppressants?"

"Suppress my butt," Mako suddenly retorted, banging her head into her driver's station.'

 _What's going on here?_ Yosef thought. _How are they...wait..._

He suddenly remembered something, a talk with Mo...

* * *

 **Flashback to hours before Miho's kidnapping...**

"There is something I need to tell you," Mo said.

"What is it?" Yosef asked.

"Don't tell anyone," Mo replied. "But we were paid to come to South America. You see, you know that we Palestinians want some land back, right?"

"Right."

"Well," Mo spoke, fidgeting. "We sort of made a deal...with the devil, no, more like made a deal with some corporation, and we helped to raid one of your bases."

"I completely forgive you for that one," Yosef replied. "There is no reason to remind me that. In the name of my God, you are forgiven."

"That's not the point," Mo said. "One of your secret labs had some weird experiment-thing."

"Huh?"

"I don't recall all details," Mo admitted. "But back when we helped, we destroyed a few samples by accident. As we struggled to get away, I remember a weird set of vials, with instructions about them causing others to feel pain."

"Why is that important to me?" Yosef asked.

"I don't know," he admitted. "But I have an urge to tell you, just in case if the girls suddenly feel pain from someone else."

* * *

"No wonder," Yosef noted, as he watched the four girls struggle to stay cool.

All four had calmed down a lot, although they still shook. Saori stopped her head, bandaging her forehead. Hana was panting audibly, while Yukari fixed her messed-up hair. Mako, however, now shook greatly. Yosef opened his mouth, but decided against it, as he could tell that Mako was in no mood to listen.

"I see the hill!" one of the clone-girls going tank desant yelled. The news was welcoming, and the Anglerfish girls were able to calm down even more. Yosef got out to look.

"Dude!" Yukari gasped, as she got out of her own hatch. "What was that?! It feels like I am feeling somebody's pain!"

"Are you alright?!" Erwin called from her tank. "Guderian?"

"I fine," she gasped, shaking her head. "Oh boy...sorry to scare you all."

"What was that?!" Nekota, Nakajima, and Noriko all shouted, coming out of their own hatches.

"I dunno," Yukari panted, struggling to catch her breath.

"I believe it's Nishizumi's," Yosef muttered. "And you all felt the pain equally."

"How so?!" Miho's friends asked.

"Well," Yosef tried to explain. "I have learned some...interesting things about you all and all..."

"Like Boko being punched?" Mako suddenly asked.

The others looked at each other, while Yosef blinked curiously.

"Boko?" he asked.

"No time to waste!" Mako shouted a little, revving up her engine. "We'll have to go."

Yosef shrugged; he was glad to see the girls recover well enough.

"Miho..." the girls prayed. "I hope you're alright."

"I hope you're alright," Yosef joined in. "God, what is going on here, God?"

* * *

 **A Sunshade Secret Lab #XX**

 **Somewhere between Mount Roraima and Caracas, Venezuela**

 **6:00 PM; April 2, 20XX**

"Get her into the chamber!"

A whole convoy of soldiers rushed, with a wheeled bed (like that of a hospital bed) in the middle. On it, Miho convulsed, struggling with the pain as the belts held her tight.

"Dude!" one of the soldiers grunted. "She drank the Six?!"

"It's been a while," one of them muttered.

"Shut up!" RK roared. "Get her into the main room!"

After what felt like minutes, the group managed to open a door, and entered the main chamber. The lunar rocket-sized chamber loomed overhead, as the group quickly left the bed in the middle. As soon as the door closed, Miho ripped out of her restraints.

"Augh...ah...ah!" she screamed, as if struggling against something inside of her. She then limped to a nearby desk, which she grabbed with her right hand and threw it away like a piece of paper.

"Dude!" one of the soldiers said, whistling. "Even a tank was unable to rip that desk out!"

"Quiet," another whispered. "Let's watch; it's been a while since we've seen the Suffering Six."

"And how did she get it?" he asked.

"Be quiet!" RK commanded, causing them to be silent. "But yes, I honestly am unsure of how that was possible."

"Possible what?" Bada asked, drinking a bottle of water casually.

"How was that stuff in the room in the first place?" RK asked.

"That room was under your jurisdiction," Bada retorted. "All I know is that you told your mooks to 'throw away' stuff. And you know that by that, I mean dispose of them properly and thoroughly."

"But the Suffering Six was NOT supposed to be in there!" RK retorted. "I did NOT tell them to put them in there!"

"Mistakes are mistakes," Bada said, finishing her bottle and handing it to a soldier, who took it away. "For now, we make do with what we have, and that's what can be the last experiment of this facility."

"Well," RK said, watching through the glass window. "We'll see what will happen."

They watched, as new barriers rose up, protecting the already bulletproof glasses of the chambers. Now, Miho was all alone, as hundreds of men and women watched.

"Ah...hah..." she panted, trying to grasp the situation.

"Is she alright?" RK asked.

"The first trial is a piece of cake," Bada said, preparing a microphone. "Let us watch."

* * *

 **First Trial**

Miho blinked. She found herself in the middle of a grassy plain, but the sky was dark.

"Wait," Miho remembered, shaking her head. "I remember I was inside of that room...and I drank a vial..."

"Can you hear me?" a voice suddenly blared.

Miho acted on impulse, getting into her fighting stance. She then calmed down a little.

"Ba-Bada-sama?" Miho called out, her voice echoing.

"You are recovering from it," Bada's voice echoed.

"Where am I?" Miho asked.

"You are seeing a projection of one of your innermost feelings and thoughts," Bada's voice boomed. "But your body is inside of the main experimental chamber, our best and most fortified of the chambers in this lab."

"So..." she tried to ask, unsure of what to say next.

"In other words," Bada's voice boomed. "We are all safely behind bulletproof and magically enchanted walls and defenses, in order to prevent your powers from destroying this facility. Plus, we want to see what will happen. It's been a while since anybody even partook in this experiment..."

Suddenly, it rained hard. Lightning streaked about, the thunder roaring all around.

"Brrr," Miho said, holding her body as if cold. "It's raining."

"Inside of your mind," Bada's voice echoed. "But if you want to survive, you have to brave whatever you face, and drink more vials."

"And...?" Miho asked.

"If you fail," Bada's voice said in a deeper, darker voice. "You die."

Miho gulped.

"You drank one," Bada's voice spoke. "So, there are five more. You drink all of them, you live. You know what to do."

Miho nodded, then carefully walked through the rain.

"Where is the desk?" Miho asked.

"Try and open your eyes," Bada replied.

* * *

"She's facing it well," RK noted. "And it's raining."

Indeed, it was. Even though Miho was standing in the middle, struggling with herself, rain strangely fell.

"It's because of magic," Bada noted. "Remember? This happens, because of the innermost projection becoming real. But this is intriguing; each experiment before was nothing like this..."

Miho panted, as she struggled to open her eyes.

"Miho," she called.

"Ye-yes?" Miho managed to mutter.

"If you can brave it," Bada called. "Please find the vials, and drink the next one. You know what to do; I don't need to elaborate on which one."

Miho nodded weakly, and then limped towards a desk. Although she was able to open her eyes, they were narrow and resisted the effort to even open. After a while, Miho managed to grab the desk, and felt for the vials.

"Second...one," Miho said.

"You ready there?" Bada asked.

She nodded.

"OK," Miho said, taking up the vials. "I am in."

She drank the vial, and screamed.

* * *

 **Second Trial**

"Ouch..." Miho groaned. "Man, those vials hurt..."

She shook herself, and looked around.

She found herself at the edge of a river. She blinked, then gasped as she was also on the edge of a low cliff. To her horror, she recognized the river.

"From the tournament last year!" Miho gasped. "No wonder...when Bada-sama said about the vials, she was right. OK...I can survive this one."

"Can you hear me?" Bada's voice echoed, this time smaller.

"Yes!" Miho called out.

"Remember there is something I want to tell you," her voice echoed. "This vial can-"

"Why are you telling her?!" RK's voice boomed. "Aren't you cheating? You never told other experiments!"

"Stay cool," Bada's voice echoed coldly. "She's no typical girl; her first trial was quite different. Most others experienced their worst nightmares first. Hers was not so."

"Sorry about that," her voice replied, as Miho distinctly heard a weird sobbing in the background. "But yes, your nightmares are far from over, but we believe that you may be the first to survive through this."

"Huh?!" Miho asked.

"Where are you?" Bada asked, ignoring her response.

"I am at a river," Miho explained. "Where my old school lost."

"Ah..." Bada's voice echoed. "I remember that part years ago. Just cross over."

Nodding, Miho then crossed over.

"Brrr..." Miho sighed, making a gesture of being cold. "Although the water is shallow, it feels cold, just like before..."

She then suddenly saw the river's reflection, and gasped.

* * *

 _"Miho..." a familiar face gasped in horror. "Why did you..."_

 _Miho watched her, her face etched with shock and horror as well._

 _"We lost..." Erika said curtly, as the helicopter flew overhead._

 _"...Pravda wins!" a small sound echoed despite the thunder, echoing all around the riverbank._

 _"I am..." Koume coughed, trying to smile, as she lied next to Miho. She tried to say 'thank you,' but was too shocked to even speak._

 _Miho just knelt there..._

* * *

Miho gulped, and continued to tread over the waters.

"I cannot believe it," Miho said. "That was long ago, but it feels like it has...just happened."

She tread over the waters, as she shivered and shook.

"Brrr," she remarked, as she tried to keep walking. "I remember those days...I do not want to look back."

" _Why did you leave us?!_ " a voice suddenly echoed.

Miho looked around, then walked on.

" _Why did you do that!_ "

" _How dare you!_ "

" _This is a disgrace!_ "

"Do not listen," Miho said to herself. "Do not...listen."

She shook.

* * *

"She's starting to feel it," RK noted.

Miho was limping back and forth, twitching and shaking.

"Her nightmares are getting worse," Bada noted. "The Suffering Six experiment does that."

"Do we even KNOW what the Six exactly do?!" RK asked.

"Remember?" Bada retorted. "We invaded the Israeli base, but those fools destroyed most files before we can even extract them."

"Fools?"

"Both," Bada replied. "Both our men, and the Israelite forces, destroyed most of the files. Now, we have only our own research about the Suffering Six."

"And now that you mention it," RK said. "We cannot replicate the vials either. In fact, if I remember correctly, Miho has one of the last ones."

"How many do we have?" Bada asked.

"We have two others," he replied. "They're in other labs, but they are safely stored. I have reported them to keep the vials more securely."

"Hope so," Bada said.

"Sir!" a soldier rushed in, panting.

"What is it?" RK asked.

"Lab #A113 is under attack!" the soldier gasped.

"Just make sure that they keep all of the research safe," RK replied nonchalantly. "It's not like they are defenseless. Anyway, we have more pressing matters."

"But that lab has one of the Suffering Six!" the soldier panted.

"Are they fighting?" asked RK.

"They're keeping the invaders away!" the soldier managed to speak more clearly.

"Just keep in touch," Bada said. "Now, move. We are watching this."

They watched Miho. Although shaking and twitching, she was still at the desk. With some effort, she managed to reach out, and grab a vial. Raising her head, she then grabbed another one, checking to make sure that it was the right third vial.

She popped it open, and drank the third vial. This time, she winced, making a face in pain.

* * *

 **Third Trial**

"Huh?"

Miho found herself in the middle of what looked like a conference room, except without any table or seat. The floor was green but old, covered in something that was clearly not moss, although it looked like one. The entire room was dark and empty, except for a single lightbulb that flickered.

"Where am I?" she asked to herself.

"So you're here?" a cold voice asked.

"Huh?"

She looked up. Suddenly, she saw her friends, especially those of her team. However, their backs were turned to her, and everything was dark, so that Miho could not see their faces.

"Friends!" Miho called out. "Saori-san! Hana-san! Yukari-san! Mako-san!"

However, none of them turned around. She called again.

"Saori-san!"

She suddenly walked, and Miho gasped.

"Ha-Hana-san!"

She also walked away, her long hair flickering like a snake in the light.

"Yu-Yukari-san...?"

Even she walked away.

"Ma-Mako-san?"

Mako's face slowly turned, but Miho could not see her face. However, a glimpse of her left eye said it all.

"Go away," she replied, before walking away.

"Friends? FRIENDS!"

* * *

"Well," RK noted. "This time, she's showing more restraint."

Still, Miho clearly was in pain, pounding the table, making cracks on it.

"Good sign," Bada said. "Most people lose it at that moment."

"Halfway through," RK said. "And she's quite the strong girl; over 90% of people lose it at that point."

"95%," Bada corrected him. "A few of them pretended to resist, but they could not keep up the facade."

"I thought you'll kill me," a voice echoed from behind.

RK and Bada turned around, as an Impaler approached them, restrained and with soldiers.

"We would have," Bada said. "But we may make use of you."

"Why is she here?" RK retorted. "Aren't we supposed to kill her?"

"She has some connection with Miho," Bada said.

"Now we're cheating?!" RK spat.

"Stay cool," Bada retorted. "There was nothing against that in our contract concerning the Suffering Six."

The Impaler craned her neck, trying to look.

"Here you go," Bada said, moving aside to provide space for her to watch through the window.

The Impaler grunted, but went ahead to peek. Miho was shaking and twitching, trying to hold on to the desk. She suddenly looked up, and saw the Impaler.

The Impaler nodded, and Miho smiled. She then drank the next vial.

"Mission accomplished," Bada said.

"That simple?!" RK asked, incredulous. "Wait, that was your plan?!"

"At least the Impaler behaved well," Bada replied. "And that was one last wish she had; before termination, she wanted to give Miho one last encouragement."

"Well," RK noted. "That was a small one."

 **"Small acts of kindness go a long way," the Impaler remarked, before being forced away.**

RK and Bada looked at each other, surprised at the last words. RK shrugged.

"We move on," he replied, watching the scene unfold again, as Miho groaned and screamed once more.

* * *

 **Fourth Trial**

Miho now found herself kneeling down on a familiar cushion. She looked around, and gasped.

She was inside of the room, the same room that she sat with Shiho and Maho, facing directly at her. This was the room that Miho was in, after the upset loss of the 62nd National High School Senshadou Tournament.

She gulped.

 _I can handle this_ , Miho thought. _I have seen this before._

She looked up. Shiho sat, facing her directly. Maho was kneeling right next to her, her head slightly bowed down. It was eerily calm and quiet, as Miho waited...and waited...and waited. Miho blinked, as she was expecting her mother to say something.

 _Umm_...Miho was about to open her mouth, but Maho spoke.

"I disown you," she said. "You are not my sister."

Miho gasped.

* * *

"Uh oh," RK said. "I think that she's definitely hitting it."

"You mean losing it," Bada said, as they watched, cupping their ears.

Miho not only shook, but also screamed. Her screams cracked plenty of glass walls; although they did not shatter, the glasses' cracks showed how dangerous the screams were.

"Man!" RK moaned, as Miho continued to scream. "That must have been one horrible nightmare!"

The people watched, as Miho visibly shook so hard, that she actually tumbled down, her body twitching furiously, all the while screaming.

* * *

"No-no-no!" Miho gasped, but Shiho did not move.

"I disown you," Maho said coldly.

"No!" Miho panted, her vision blurring. Suddenly, she saw something...

* * *

 _"Miho," Maho said._

 _Miho blinked, then looked down. She gasped, as she was wearing her child's shirt and all, and looked up._

 _Maho was a kid, just like her. However, this time she had a sweet smile and nice eyes._

 _"Onee-chan?" Miho found herself asking sweetly._

 _"Do you really think that something bad will happen?"_

 _"Huh?"_

 _"I mean..." Maho fidgeted. "I wonder...can we still be sweet little sisters together?"_

 _"Of course!" Miho replied enthusiastically, tackling her sister. The two then laughed, rolling with each other in the grass. After a while, the two lied down on the lawn, gasping for breath._

 _"Hehehe," Miho said. "I win."_

Wait, _Miho thought inside._ Am I saying it? Or is this...?

 _"Of course," Maho chuckled. "There is no way that a girl like you will lose your sweetness."_

 _"But can I?" Miho asked innocently._

 _"If you do," Maho said with a serious eye but a calm smile. "Remember that I will never forsake you. Even if I may have to, there is always somebody who will look after you."_

* * *

Miho sweated, panting. However, she remembered that, that one sweet moment with her sister, and knew what she HAD to do.

"NO!" Miho roared. "I know my onee-chan! SHE WILL NEVER FORSAKE ME, NOT EVEN DISOWN ME!"

Suddenly, the room and her family faded rapidly, and Miho found herself staring into a weird white room. She panted.

"Oh..." she groaned, wiping her forehead. Despite that, the last words rubbed on her badly...

 _I disown you_ , echoed the sinister sound.

* * *

"She's shaking badly," RK noted.

"It's a given," Bada said. "Most people have never survived the fourth trial. It's rare to even reach three or so."

"You lost track?"

"After so many experiments," Bada said. "You really lose your touch with them. You only care about the important specimens. I honestly wish that Miho would have never drunk the Suffering Six."

"But what if she survives?" RK asked.

"If she does," Bada said. "There are two things to note. One, that she will be the VERY first one to survive. And two, the whole Nishizumi family should be monitored."

"But we have no one to check on the rest!" RK moaned. "Anyway, that annoyance of Shiho is more than a match!"

"We'll see what to do," Bada retorted. "But first, we have to watch and see Miho."

They watched her, moaning and shaking.

"You know," Bada said. "I admit, Japanese people are so interesting. They have this strange sense of determination, a _samurai_ mentality that seems ingrained, almost genetic. Yet...I don't really have a high opinion of Japanese in general."

"I am Japanese," RK reminded her.

"Shut up," she replied, as Miho struggled to drink the next vial. "You're...hmph! Nevermind, she's on to the next one."

* * *

 **Fifth Trial**

Miho panted very hard, each breath feeling like the last.

 _Oh boy,_ Miho thought. _This is getting way, WAY harder...No wonder._

Her hands shook, as she struggled with the fifth vial.

 _I disown you..._

The sinister voice still echoed inside of her.

 _I disown you..._

Her hands were trembling, threatening to drop the vial.

 _I disown you..._

"I WILL NOT DISOWN YOU, ONEE-CHAN!" Miho screamed, and managed to drink the vial.

* * *

Miho blinked, as she found herself in the middle of a parking lot. It was freshly laid, with jet-black asphalt and pure-white lines all around. However, a few grasses protruded out of a few cracks. The sky was reddish due to the dusk, the Sun seeming to fall into the horizon.

"Where am I?" Miho wondered.

This time, she feels completely fine, and all of her past trials felt distant.

"Oi!" a familiar voice boomed.

"Boko!" Miho shouted excitedly, turning around.

A kid-sized teddy bear strolled into view. Unlike most teddy bears of its type, it was covered in bandages in certain parts of its body, as if injured.

"Oi!" Boko cried out. "I am here to prove that I am the strongest of them all!"

"Boko!" Miho squealed with delight, as she ran up to it and hugged it. "Hello there!"

"Don't hug me!" Boko groaned, trying to sound tough. "I am Boko! I will fight and fight!"

Miho said nothing, hugging Boko with all her might. After a while, she then let go, and knelt down to look at it.

It looked just like the animatronic version she saw, back at the Boko Museum near Ooarai.

"Thanks for being here," she replied, crying a little.

"Oh," Boko said, trying to roll its eyes (although its eyes were black beads, just like in dolls). "No worries, I am the all-powerful Boko, and nobody can defeat me!"

"Nobody?"

The strange, deep voice sent shivers down her spine, as she and Boko looked up. Both gasped, stumbling a few feet back, as a colossal figure loomed over them.

A robust body with four clawed legs towered over them, scaly and sickly in color.

A long neck stretched above, the mouth long but strong, etched with white, sharp teeth.

Two colossal, batlike wings stretched, the hideous skin stretched.

Miho could not tell the color, because the Sun soon disappeared, and now the sky was bluish-black. However, she knew what she saw.

"What...a dragon?!" Miho noted.

"No...nobody can..." Boko tried to speak up, its voice audibly trembling.

"Foolish bear," the dragon grunted, then bit the Boko, throwing it high into the air.

"NO!" Miho cried out, as the dragon played with the Boko. As it did, Miho noticed that the dragon's scales seemed to radiate a variety of colors. It was hard to tell whether it had those colors, due to the impending darkness. It did not matter.

"Boko!" she called out, as the dragon played with the Boko. Then, she shook it before biting it again. This time, it kept Boko in its mouth, and looked down at Miho.

Its eyes were bright brown but familiar, sharp like her mother's, but with what looked like horns, whiskers, and antlers all over its face.

Smirking, it snapped its mouth, and Boko's head fell down.

Miho gasped, clapping her mouth shut.

"No..." she panted. "No...no-no-no-NOOO!"

* * *

"WARNING!" a mechanical message echoed, as the entire chamber shook. "WARNING! ENERGY SPIKE DETECTED! PLEASE MOVE TO THE NEAREST SAFETY CHAMBER."

"Never," Bada mumbled, as the entire area shook.

Miho was wailing about, holding her hair tight. She then raised her right fist, which smashed into the table. The table did not split; it vaporized into a cloud of white dust. Strangely, the last vial did not disintegrate, but dropped to the ground with a light clatter. However, Miho went on screaming, her rampage starting to decimate the area. Glasses cracked, then entire rooms got pulverized, as massive rays and blasts of energy swerved in and out. It was hard to tell whether they were coming from Miho, or from the above. Fortunately, nobody was in the rooms that got destroyed, although it caused a massive panic.

"Move-move!" multiple voices roared, as multiple personnel scrambled to safety. Only two people, however, seemed oblivious to the panic.

"That's odd," RK noted, despite the shaking of the building. "Isn't that thing supposed to crack?"

He was talking about the last vial. While the other five empty vials got vaporized by the blasts of energy, the last one strangely stayed intact. In fact, its lid was off, yet the liquid inside did not pour out.

"I think I know," Bada said. "Do you remember a weird quote from the files?"

"The Israelite files?" RK asked.

Bada nodded.

"It said something subtle," Bada said, uttering the words:

 _"When the trial reaches the last_

 _There, you shall see the test._

 _With it, you will cross the river_

 _And see the true deliver._

"Something about that," Bada said. "Now that I see it, I think Miho managed to pass this far, in part because she saw a 'river,' which nobody else saw. And that once you reach the very last, you should be able to pass."

"Is that why the last vial is not pouring out?" RK asked. "I mean, under natural circumstances, the vial's content should spill out."

 **"Of course," Bada retorted. "But remember: this is not physics. It's magic."**

"But there is also another weird part of that file," RK uttered. "And that was right after what you said:

" _On the last test_

 _You need the blest_

 _On arm left_

 _Not by theft_

 _Given by the Chosen_

 _That shall be rosen._

"What does THAT mean?" RK asked.

"I know some things," Bada said casually, as the rooms continued to shake, while Miho struggled from below. "The 'Chosen' refers to the Israelites, or Jews in particular. She has to have something from them, on her left arm or something."

"But there was nothing!" RK replied. "And that 'rosen' part is obviously something beautiful but painful, like a rose!"

"We'll see," Bada said. "If they had a Merkava in possession, then _somebody_ should have given her something, like a blessing or something..."

"Is that how they discovered a way to nullify their weakness to air pollution?" RK asked.

"I hope not," Bada replied. "If she did, then the Jews are our real enemies...For now, Miho is getting to the last trial."

* * *

 **Sixth and Last Trial**

Miho REALLY struggled with that one. She cried, cringing and lying down on the parking lot like a baby in tears. She cried and cried.

 _Keep going_...a strange voice echoed, but Miho did not hear. Seeing Boko torn apart was a little too much.

"Miho," the same voice echoed, but it sounded a little like...

Miho kept sobbing.

"Miho!"

"O-onee...chan?" Miho sniffed, getting up. She wiped her face, as she looked around.

"You need to keep going," the voice echoed all around her. This time, the Sun seemed to be rising higher and higher, and the sky was brightening up, even though it already set before.

"I-I can't!" Miho gasped, then a familiar sight rolled into view.

 _Take it_...the voice echoed distantly, as Miho stared in horror.

It was the last vial.

The cylinder glowed a strange color, as Miho sniffed. It was no longer transparent, but glittering.

"I-I can't," Miho groaned.

 _You have...arrived this far,_ the voice echoed. _Please...Miho...you want to save your family...your friends...your nation...even yourself?_

Miho sniffed, but nodded.

 **"Go on," a strange, deep voice, this time paternal and soothing, boomed. "Drink and be free."**

Miho breathed, then drank.

* * *

Miho blinked, finding herself in the middle of a black room. Everything was black, the ceiling and floor. In front of her, however, was a mirror, which showed her entire body. She stared at it...for a while.

"Huh," she noted. "Nothing here?"

She turned around, wondering what to do. She then turned back to look, and gasped.

The mirror shattered, its cracks tarnishing her image. To make matters worse, the image did not gasp. Instead, it held a frown and...came out of the mirror.

Miho backed away, as her duplicate approached her. She looked just like her, except with cracked lines to show where the mirror's edges showed. Miho then tripped and fell down, and the image grabbed her hard.

"How dare you cross the river?" the doppelganger screamed, shaking her and punching her.

Miho pulled herself away, but tripped and fell over.

"Ouch!" she groaned, as the doppelganger then marched towards, still frowning, its face cracked and bloody.

"Your friends left you!" it screamed, punching her harder.

"No they did not!" Miho objected, pulling away. Yet this time, she stood, trembling.

"Your family is hurt!" it roared, kicking her. She slid a few meters away, moaning.

"You see Boko, your Boko, yes your idol, your IDOL, is broken and destroyed beyond and beyond!" it screamed, now mocking. "Look where your faith is now!"

It kicked her.

"Where is your family now?"

It kicked her.

"Where are YOU now?"

It stomped on her, as Miho writhed in pain. The duplicate then pulled her up, glaring at her. Her eyes were bloodshot, as Miho sobbed.

"Just give up already!" it roared. "Then, you will be at peace!"

"I give..." Miho groaned.

The image snickered, then punched her left arm. Screaming in pain, she grabbed her left upper arm with her right hand. Suddenly, something black snaked out, and the doppelganger screamed and disappeared. Suddenly, everything turned black, and Miho fell down, and passed out.

* * *

"What the?!" the entire audience around the chamber gasped.

RK jumped out of his seat, as a blast of energy suddenly erupted from a wall. He leaped just in time, as his chair got obliterated. Bada, however, trembled.

"WARNING!" the computers all blared around. "ENERGY SPIKES DETECTED. LEVELS BEYOND ANALYSIS. WARNING!"

BOOM!

More blasts of energy erupted, as if the whole chamber was giving way.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" a horrific scream exploded out, causing everyone to freeze and cover their ears. The scream echoed all around, blasting all of the bulletproof glass windows into pieces, while a colossal beam of golden light erupted out from below.

"This was NOT what I expected?!" RK roared, as he and others scrambled to get out. "Bada! Get out of here!"

Bada, however, looked on, sweating, paralyzed.

"Choi Bada!" RK roared, forcefully pulling her out of her seat. "Men, carry her!"

They all went out, just as another blast of energy struck, this time obliterating the room.

"Bada!" RK screamed, slapping her. "Snap out of it!"

"This..." she replied feebly and trembling. "This...is interesting..."

"No time to think about that!" RK roared. "We need to escape!"

"What...we need them..." she moaned. "Our... specimen-"

RK punched her hard.

"Make up your mind!" RK roared, as they went down the stairs. "This is getting too much! None of us are prepared for the sixth vial!"

"But we need her," she groaned. "The Nishizumis...get them all."

"NO!" RK yelled, slapping her. "We'll get them later! We have to move!"

"What are you capable of..." Bada went on speaking, as a few men put her on a movable bed, and pushed her to safety. "Nishizumis...what are you all capable of?"

* * *

 **So yes...this finally came in, after a week of virtually no working on it. You see, two weeks ago, due to an unexpectedly large amount of free time, I went passionate, and I finished three chapters in one week! As a result, my writer's block became epic, but I have finally finished up this chapter!**

 **Thank you for all the new likes and follows, including the reviews! To all who did so, thank you for your continued and brand-new support!**

* * *

 **By the way, this chapter is published on 9/11, so I will say:**

 **To all affected by it, I give my condolences. Let us remember this moment, and not only move on, but also grow up. Life can be upsetting, even traumatic, but...at the end of the day...the sun is rising, the sun is rising...**

 **Thank you.**


	13. Chapter 13: Choices

**Now, finally I am up to another start.**

 **Finally! It's implemented, the idea that I had since last year. The trials were just a part of it; the rest of the main idea should appear here!**

 **It's a HUGE spoiler, which is at the end, so I wish you well!**

* * *

 **Rise of Senshazonia**

 **Chapter 13: Choices**

 **New Ooarai**

 **Mount New Ooarai, Guiana Shield**

 **5:00 PM; April 2, 20XX**

"Huh?"

Miho found herself standing in middle of a white, disc-shaped floor, which appeared to float in the middle of a starry blackness.

"OK," Miho said out loud. "I am...confused. One moment I was screaming, the next moment I am here...as if nothing happened. I am...I think I am done with these magical dream-things."

Suddenly, she giggled.

"Well," she said, stretching (it felt a little weird at first). "At least I am free from the pain...ah...I cannot believe that I had to experience that."

She looked around.

"Nothing," she noted, then checked herself.

"No wounds," she replied, sighing in relief. However, she noticed something.

"Huh?"

Her right hand was holding her upper left arm, and it was grabbing tight. She tried to pull, but the right hand kept holding on. She also noticed some black bandage-like ribbons tied around both the arm and the hand, as if restrained together.

"What is this?" Miho wondered, looking at it. "My right hand is stuck like glue, despite looking like it's tied...and these weird black ribbons...wait a minute, they look like the black snake-thing that struck me long ago!"

She looked at the arm more closely.

"Well," she pondered. "I am even more confused. Yosef said that the black snake-thing was a 'key' of sort, but...it's still here?"

Shaking her head, she was perplexed.

"What is going on?!" she said out loud. "First, we're stuck in this apocalypse-land, and now we have magic, and the strange drug vials, and now this?! I am just..."

She did not finish her sentence; she did not need to. It was too much to handle. Suddenly, out of the corner of her left eye, she noticed something else.

"Oh please," she groaned, as she noticed a white spiral staircase. "Everything that is happening...it's too much to handle!"

 _Come up, please._

Miho flinched, then looked around.

"Huh?"

 _Come up, please._

A gentle whisper, a soothing voice, echoed from the top. Miho looked up.

"At least that sounds gentle," Miho remarked, as she went up the stairs, since she had no other choice.

 _Tap, tap, tap._

Miho kept going up the stairs.

 _Tap, tap, tap._

Eventually, after what felt like minutes, Miho got to the top of the stairs. She found herself in another floor. This time, however, the floor was at least twice the size, and it had what looked like stained glass and paint etched onto it. On this floor, the black void looked even more stellar, with more stars that shone brighter than below.

"Wow..." Miho gasped, looking around as she unconsciously spun. She felt like a little girl, in awe of the smallest wonders of the world.

 _Crack!_

A sudden noise got her attention, and she turned to look. A white path suddenly appeared, which glowed brighter and more colorful than the floor.

 _Snap!_

Another sound echoed, and Miho recognized it.

"Somebody's cutting wood?" she wondered.

 _Chop!_

"Yes," she affirmed it, and seeing the path decided to walk on it. As she did, she looked down, and gulped.

 _Crack!_

"It looks like there is nothing below," she noted, despite the noise. "OK, stay focused."

 _Snap!_

She then walked on, the path leading into a seemingly endless void. Soon, she saw another white, disc-shaped floor, and she walked. Squinting her eyes, she saw someone in the middle of it all.

"Hello?" Miho shouted out.

The man turned around, but his eyes were covered by a wide-brimmed hat, which appeared to be made of white straw, with red edges. He wore what looked like a white T-shirt and blue jeans.

"An American farmer?" Miho wondered. "Ah! Hello!"

She called out, as she walked briskly, careful to stay on the white trail. The man silently stood up. Miho eventually entered the floor, and panted a little. After a while, she looked up.

The man did indeed looked like a stereotypical American farmer, tanned and all. Miho could tell that he had brown hair, which was visible despite the hat. However, his eyes remained hidden, while his chin was clean-shaven. He also had red wristbands on both wrists.

Miho tilted her head, and was about to ask, but the man spoke.

"Hello," the man greeted her, his deep voice both soft yet powerful. "I see that you have passed the Suffering Six."

Miho blinked, then nodded silently.

"You are quite the Japanese at heart," the man remarked, as he turned to work on a piece of wood. He kept chopping at it, then scraping with tools.

"Do you work with wood?" Miho asked.

"Yes," he replied, handing her another piece of wood. "Do you want to check it?"

"Sure," Miho replied, and took it. She gasped, as the brownish plank somehow transformed into a real hunk of bright steel.

The man, however, shrugged with an innocent smile.

"Well," the man said, stretching as if it was nothing special. Miho tried to look at his eyes, but somehow the hat and the strange light prevented her from seeing.

"OK.." Miho was puzzled. What was she supposed to do with a hunk of wood that suddenly transformed into a piece of real steel?

The man chuckled.

"May I have it?" he asked.

"Su-sure," Miho replied, handing it back.

"Alright," the man said, as he put down the piece of steel, which suddenly turned back into wood. He then got up, and Miho could tell that he was no serious.

"Let's get to the point," the man said. "You should know that I am keeping my eyes closed, because my eyes are not meant to be seen."

"OK..." Miho replied, not exactly sure of what to make of that.

The man smiled. His smile comforted her greatly, soothing her. She did not know why, but this man had a strange aura to him, one that gave her unusual comfort.

"I am here," the man replied. "Because you have passed the test. Now, I am giving you two choices. And don't worry about why I was working with wood here; that's not exactly important, depending on how you look at it."

"Um..." she pondered. "Are you...an angel?"

The man laughed, a hearty laugh that reminded Miho of the best Santa Claus she had ever met. She smiled and giggled with him. In fact, the two laughed together for quite a while, so that even Miho lost track of time.

"Anyway," the man said, after both stopped. "I am here to give you two choices: to go to there or back to your world."

"Huh?" Miho was about to ask, but a familiar voice squeaked.

"I'll fight and win no matter what!" it squealed, and Miho turned around and gasped. A familiar figure waddled into view, still with its fur and bandages intact.

"Boko!" Miho shouted, crying as she hugged the familiar bear, which looked just like its usual self. "I-I thought you..."

"Boko is fine," the man said with a smile, which soon disappeared. "But...Nishizumi Miho, Boko is here to show you one path."

"I will show you!" Boko replied, and led her to a door that suddenly appeared. It looked like a gilded, mahogany door, and the bear opened it.

Miho gasped, as she gazed at the sight beyond it: a grassy meadow full of flowers and a bright, shiny sky, with rainbow arches and bright stars. It was glorious, the best she had ever seen; not even the pristine regions of Japan could compare with it.

"This is where I will take you!" Boko said. "And we can be happy and painless and everything bright and shiny, forever!"

Miho shook with joy, as she felt everything so good about it. All of her pains, her trials, her flaws, everything bad...were gone in a flash.

"Try and step in a little," the man said. "But don't go in yet."

"Just get in!" Boko objected.

Miho decided to just step in. Suddenly, a wave of euphoria overwhelmed her. It was so amazing, that Miho momentarily forgot that she was even somewhere strange; she just...sighed in relief. Basking in the sudden elation of the situation, Miho breathed, sighed, and just simply enjoyed it.

"Come on!" Boko said out loud, trying to drag her in. She was about to enter fully, when she remembered something.

"W-wait!" Miho said, turning around. "Mi-mister?"

"Yes?" the man asked, as Miho got out, unintentionally dragging Boko (who was trying to pull her in).

"Mi-mister," Miho replied with a curtsy at the man. "You said that there are two paths. What is the other one?"

"You don't have to go there!" Boko said, but the man silenced the bear with a strange gesture.

"She asked for it," the man said. "I will show it to her."

The man then walked towards another door, which suddenly appeared. This one, however, was rusty and ugly, just like the kind of a wooden door, which suffered from the elements. The man even took out a pair of gloves, wore them, and turned the knob. Grunting, he then took off the gloves, and threw them into the void.

"This," he said. "Is the way back to your world."

Miho gasped.

Inside of the frame, Miho saw her world. She saw all kinds of pictures, as if they were recollections of her past, except that she saw others that she could have never seen. She saw her limp body in the middle of the chamber, as the lab was collapsing and falling apart; a strange pillar of light was flooding the area. Suddenly, the scene changed, so Miho saw that her friends were rushing towards the lab, on tanks and armed to the teeth.

"My friends!" Miho gasped.

Then, the scene switched again, but this time it was a series of second-long scenes. Although extremely short, Miho could tell that each scene revealed all of the commanders that she met from before, including Marie and Eclair from the French-themed schools. They were all still alive, but all of them had expressions of stress. Then, the scene changed, so that Miho saw a dreary museum room, and saw two familiar figures seating on benches.

"Onee-chan!" Miho gasped. "And Alice-san!"

Miho stared at them, tears forming in her eyes.

"But come on!" Boko said, pointing at the door with the meadow. "You've worked hard to get this far! Come with me, and your life will be happily ever after."

"Boko is telling the truth," the man replied, nodding. "The Suffering Six is actually a series of trials, created to test the souls of those who have passed. Very few have passed; those who did are allowed to fulfill the dreams of their lifetimes. In your case, you can be in a literal paradise, where you have all your heart's desires, which is why Boko is here."

Miho was giddy with an unimaginable amount of joy, as she saw Boko, alive and well, and the aura of the door with the meadow. Even though she stepped in only a little, Miho could feel all of her fears, pains, and everything bad disappear. She really, REALLY wanted to get in there, and be happy forever...yet...

She turned to look. Her friends...her family...

"What will happen to them?" she asked.

"That's not the purpose of the Suffering Six," the man answered. "The purpose is to fulfill your own happiness, not the happiness of others."

Miho gripped her heart with her left hand, which was free.

 _I want to go there_ , Miho thought. _But...if he's right...then I cannot..._

Both Boko and the man waited, with the former tapping its feet impatiently. Miho then walked back and forth, deep in thought.

"Just go to paradise already!" Boko roared.

"Let her decide," the man said sternly.

Miho continued to walk back and forth, thinking.

 _I really want to be free,_ she thought. _Free from all of my troubles, my pains, my memories. But...is it worth it? And that man..._

"So," Miho said, facing the man. "If I go, then everybody will have to deal with their own problems, right?"

"Why so?" Boko asked.

"Yes," the man answered bluntly.

"But my friends won't experience this paradise," Miho concluded. "Right?"

"Very true," the man answered bluntly again.

Miho breathed, then made her choice.

"Let me go back to my world," Miho finally answered.

"What?!" Boko asked, shocked. "But Miho! You have won the fight, and I can always be there forever with you! You passed the Suffering Six, one of the VERY few people who passed! And you're the first to reject this?!"

"Why do you want to go?" the man asked. "After all, you earned your prize, and Boko is right. All others, only a handful or so, have passed over the door, and have gained paradise. But if you refuse, you will be the very first to reject the reward. Plus, don't you want to be with Boko?"

"You are right that I want to be with Boko," Miho replied. "But...what about my friends? My family? Them?"

Miho turned to look at the door, which replayed the scenes of her friends, her family, and her own body.

"That's not your concern," the man said. "So, why even care?"

"Before I answer," Miho said. "Am I dead?"

"Nope," Boko answered. "You're not, but you're ready to. Why even care about them back there?"

"I care because," Miho said, in thought. "Because...what's the point of me being happy, if others are not?"

Boko and the man both stayed silent.

"Th-thank you for the opportunity," Miho said. "Sure, I want to be in this paradise...where all of my fears and pains are gone; even just feeling the breeze there wiped them all away. But...only I will feel this, right?"

"Right," the man answered. "Only you, and not others."

"Come on!" Boko said. "You earned it!"

"Let her finish," the man said. "She needs to think this through. Once she makes the decision, she cannot reverse it."

She thought...and thought...and thought. She clenched her heart, as her right hand refused to let go of her arm.

"I am going back," she replied with a gasp.

"Why?!" Boko yelled, but the man stayed silent.

 **"I mean, what's the point?" Miho admitted. "I love you Boko, but if I see only you...and not others...what's the point? Life is bigger than just Boko. I am not offending or anything, but you've been my friend for a long time. But at the end of the day, you are just Boko. I have other friends...who are not as happy as I am. Plus, I want my family to be happy. Onee-chan Maho...has been there for so long. She's the one who encouraged me to find my path in life. She's the one who gave me the strength to go on. Plus, I have Alice, who will miss me if I am gone. I have Saori and Hana and Yukari and Mako and...and everyone."**

 **Miho fell silent.**

 **"In other words," the man replied, working on something in his hands. "You decide to go back, because you want to share the happiness for others, right?"**

 **"I-I mean," Miho said, fidgeting a little. "What's the point of paradise, if...if there is no LOVE to begin with?"**

Boko stayed silent. This time, the man smiled, and **clapped**. Each clap echoed like a calm but soothing bell, ringing all around her. Miho felt...quite energized.

"Well done," the man replied. "Well done, Miho. You have given me the one answer that I have been looking for. **Love**. Love is not a feeling, and love is not based on loving a fictional character like Boko. **Love is a choice, a decision, but really an attitude**. You want to fulfill your heart's desire, which is Boko. But your desire is even deeper; you desire love. You desire Boko, because deep down, you desire to love others. Boko never gives up, and so does love. Love is patient and kind. Love is not evil, never. Love desires good, not hatred. Love always rises above the ashes of hatred, of corruption, of evil. **Love never fails**."

Miho blinked, staring at the man. His eyes still were hidden, but Miho could glimpse them, and they were so kind.

"You are free to go," the man said. "In fact, because you have given me a great answer, I will give you a concession or more. First of all, once you go through that door, you will go back to your world. Your body will completely recover, no infection or damage of any kind. Clean and good as new. Second, your friends and your allies will gain respite; as soon as you all escape back to base, everything will be back to normal, no war or skirmish or ambush, but for only 40 days. And last but not least, you will gain **ezer**."

" **Ezer**?" Miho asked.

"Ask Yosef," the man said. "He will answer you."

"Thank you," Miho said, bowing down.

"Go," the man said.

"Aww..." Boko groaned. Miho smiled, then hugged the bear.

"Thank you Boko," Miho said. "It's a hard choice."

"But don't regret it!" Boko said. "Or else I will take you down!"

Miho giggled, then playfully punched it. Boko then punched back, and the two were in a friendly wrestle, as the man watched with a smirk. After a while, Miho got up, and bowed down.

"Thank you," she replied, before approaching the door. As she did, she remembered something.

She turned around. Boko waved at her, its right paw free and unbandaged. Next to it, the man stopped working on something in his hands; it was hard to see, because the stars started to dim, so that his creation was hidden. However, Miho thought that she saw a silhouette of a miniature figurine.

"Who are you?" she asked.

The man gave out a mysterious giggle, and slowly raised his eyes.

"Who am I?" a strange, booming voice erupted, as if the whole area shook.

Miho trembled.

"Who I am?" a clear, firm voice echoed, as if from a stadium.

Miho blinked.

"I am," he replied, before he lifted his hat off. Miho saw only the glimpses of two brown or hazel eyes (although hard to tell, because of the sudden flashes of light), very normal-looking, yet very piercing, before everything faded to black. All she remembered was being rocketed back into the door, and she found herself "dropping" down into the ground, getting back into her body. Before going, however, Miho saw that the doorframe, which was originally rusty and ugly, suddenly turn bright, clean, and blue.

"I am?" Miho pondered, before she found herself back on the floor.

* * *

 **A Sunshade Secret Lab #XX, or what was left of it**

 **Somewhere between Mount Roraima and Caracas, Venezuela**

 **6:30 PM; April 2, 20XX**

Miho slowly opened her eyes.

"Ouch..." she groaned. As she got up, however, she heard explosions.

BOOM!

"Uh-huh-huh?!" she woke up. Shaking her head, she looked around.

"Oh no!" she gasped. "The whole facility is falling apart!"

She got up, and suddenly noticed that her body was perfectly fine.

"Wow!" she noted, surprised that she was healed so fast.

More explosions continued to erupt, as debris fell down all around her. Multiple soldiers tried to escape, while a good number were pinned down.

"Don't escape now!" RK's voice roared. "Get Miho!"

"No sir!" another voice roared. "We have to leave!"

"Get him!" Bada's voice screeched, but nobody listened. Miho watched from a distance, as a group of soldiers dragged both RK and Bada out, who were visibly trying to resist.

"Get him!" Bada roared. "And anyone who does will be rewarded!"

Most of them ignored her, but some of them hesitated, and looked back at Miho. She, however, got into a position, ready to fight.

"I am not going down," she bluntly said.

Two of them looked at each other, then charged at her. One drew out a taser, while the other took out a baton. Miho dodged the taser, which struck a pile of debris. The other then tried to land a hit, but Miho dodged that one, and instead the soldier went down, landing face-first into the cold, hard floor.

"Ouch!" the soldier groaned, as the taser one tried to get up.

"Ouch," Miho responded. "That must hurt."

"Miporin!"

"Miho-san!"

"Nishizumi-dono!"

"Nishizumi-san!"

Familiar voices rang out, as Miho turned around, her face beaming with joy.

"Friends!" Miho shouted out, as they started to appear.

The group of rescuers smashed through debris after debris, without a care in the world about what was happening. Although they fired no shot, the rescuers were furious beyond description, as they knocked down soldier after soldier, almost rolling over one (he barely escaped). The Merkava tanks roared, crushing through the obstacles, while the girls on top pointed their guns, ready to fire (they did not fire, in order to conserve ammo).

"Do not shoot!" Miho called out, as Yosef came out of his own tank.

"In your face!" Yosef roared, as he fired his rifle. His shots bounced off, deliberately nearby a group of soldiers, who were trying to kidnap Miho. They snuck from behind, so that Miho did not notice. However, seeing them was enough to send the group into a rage.

"NOBODY KIDNAP OUR GIRL MIHO!" the group roared, as each person started to fire.

"Don't shoot!" Miho called out again, and this time they obeyed. No shot hit anyone, but it was enough to send the soldiers scrambling away. The facility continued to break apart.

"This place won't last for long!" Yosef cried.

"I am coming up!" Miho said, jumping onboard.

"Go-go-go!" Yosef roared, as the facility was now on the verge of literal collapse. Indeed, just as they left the middle chamber, a huge boulder struck, blocking the view. The tanks rushed to hurry, crushing through more obstacles, created by the falling debris.

"Move-move!" Yosef roared, as his tank sped past, leading the group. All ten tanks struggled, as more debris appeared.

"We can't move!" a girl screamed, as her team's tank got stuck. Miho wasted no time, rushing out to get to the tank.

"Go-go-go!" she roared, as the others sped past, unaware that easily pushed the tank back up. Oblivious to what she did, she got onboard, and the tank sped away, just as the entire tunnel caved in.

"That was close!" a girl screamed out, as the tanks continued to escape. Behind, the entire facility was shaking. Trees and all kinds of vegetation burned and fell apart, as the building's true surface exposed. Miho watched behind, as she realized that the whole "tepui" was really one giant building, resembling a robust skyscraper. However, it was now crumbling, as numerous floors gave way, and debris of all kinds fell down. On the surface floor, as the tanks were rushing by, numerous clusters of people were panting, safe from the destruction.

"Go-go-go!" Yosef roared. "Do not stop until we're away here!"

"But they will find us!" one of the girls roared, and she was right.

"There they are!" a soldier roared, pointing at the group, or specifically at Miho.

"Just go!" Miho cried out, unaware of what she's even saying. "We need help-we need help!"

Suddenly, the clusters of soldiers screamed, as strange silhouettes erupted out of the grasses, pouncing on the soldiers. The girls barely saw, but they noticed some animals attacking them.

"Why are they attacking?" one of the calmer girls asked, but her question was drowned out.

"No time to waste!" another screamed. "Just GOGOGOGO!"

The tanks rushed out as fast as possible, unaware of the many animals that suddenly descended upon the surviving soldiers, unaware of the tanks going faster than usual, and unaware of a single figure standing on top of the collapsing building.

"She's safe now," the man said, crafting a piece of wooden figurine in his hands. "Miho, be good and be strong."

* * *

 **New Ooarai**

 **Mount New Ooarai, Guiana Shield**

 **7:00 AM; April 3, 20XX**

Miho slowly opened her eyes.

"Ugh..." she groaned. "What..."

"Welcome back!" four voices roared from behind a curtain.

"Shush!" another hushed. "She's still knocked out from yesterday!"

"But it's quite late!" the voices echoed in a groan.

"I know," the single voice admitted, which was deeper than the other four. Miho then recognized.

"Friends!" Miho called out. "Yosef!"

* * *

 **Throughout the day...**

It was nothing short of a feast, as the entire base of New Ooarai was celebrating the success of the rescue effort. Hence, instead of three meals, it was really one long, LONG buffet meal, in which the girls went back and forth as they pleased. Indeed, it was all the more so, because Miho told them that they did not need to worry about any danger for 40 days, or specifically by May 12. As a result, the girls spent time doing as they pleased, although Miho was surprised that nobody even asked her why they did not need to worry.

 _Guess they're too happy and tired to think_ , Miho thought.

"Oh boy," Yosef groaned, his belly pronounced. "That was a lot."

He managed to wolf down his fifth dish, plus other foodstuffs: bagels, smoked salmon, cabbage rolls, kosher pierogis, scrambled eggs, steaks, and other mouthwatering morsels. He also had bowls of chicken noodle soup and others.

"No pork," he bluntly declared. "Please."

"And so do we," Mo and Usamah said. Even Usamah was let out, in order to enjoy the festivities. Indeed, he welcomed the outdoor air, and was content to enjoy what little freedom he had, as the two consumed their own foodstuffs, most of them the same as Yosef. Unlike him, however, the two Palestinians gladly took plates of shrimp, crab, and other seafood.

"Odd diet," the other girls noted.

"I learned from them," Miho said. "They wanted a specific type of food aisle for them."

Indeed, they did. Throughout the whole day, the girls had seven rows of food:

1) Rice-this aisle had everything that combined food with rice, almost.

2) Meat-this aisle had entire roasts and enormous cuts of all kinds of flesh, ranging from venison to cuts from some bizarre animals, such as Toxodon.

3) Seafood-this aisle had almost everything from the coasts and the nearby waters, such as catfish and eels.

4) Vegetables-this aisle had a wide variety of vegetarian dishes.

5) Desserts-obvious

6) Desserts-more...

7) Kosher-the only aisle that Yosef, Mo, and Usamah visited, this one featured culinary dishes from the men's countries. The girls particularly enjoyed the bagels, chicken soups, pierogies, kebabs, and lamb.

"We are stuffed!" Saori groaned, rubbing her belly. "And am I fat?"

"What are you doing about?" Hana asked, as she continued to eat and eat, while never looking fat. The three men, and many girls, stared at her. However, they also stared at another girl.

"You must be hungry," Yukari noted with awe, as Miho ended up consuming at least five dishes of food.

"Mmm?" she mumbled, as she chewed on a large chicken skewer.

"It makes sense," Saori said, bringing in a dish of food for Miho. "Miporin, what really happened there?"

Miho sighed, finished her meal, and then told them. She told them everything, from coming with the Impaler, to encountering RK and Bada, and finally to the Suffering Six.

"$ %$#e%$ !" Yosef roared, coming in to join. He was not speaking profanity, but he was close; instead, he was basically saying, "Are you kidding me?! They stole them?!," in Hebrew.

"I chose to do them," Miho replied. "RK and Bada both noted that it had 'powers' beyond anything we have ever known. What does the experiment do?"

Yosef sighed.

"All I know," he sighed. "Is that you are the first person I've met to survive that one."

The others gasped, staring at Miho.

"The Suffering Six," Yosef said. "Is one of the forbidden experiments, so bad that we considered banning it. Apparently, we discovered it really...in a strange tomb of sort. We know that it's Israeli, because of the Jewish symbols and all, but the scripts on the walls there indicate that the Suffering Six has the power to grant 'blessings' beyond anything we've ever imagined. And you said about the 40 days of rest; yes, that's a part of it."

The girls all around gasped in amazement, staring at Miho.

"That's Nishizumi-dono!" Yukari squealed with delight. "So, by surviving this Suffering Six experiment, you have helped us?!"

"More than just that," Yosef interjected. "To be honest, it was one of those things that the scientist admitted...was not even sure of. In fact, she spilled some strange beans."

"Spill some beans?" Hana asked. "We did not spill any pulses on the ground."

"That's an English idiom," Saori explained. "He's meaning that the scientist told him some weird secrets. How weird?"

"Something about an _ezer_ ," Yosef began. " _Ezer_ means 'helper,' but it has multiple definitions and-"

Miho gasped.

"You know?" Yosef asked.

"Yes!" Miho said, nodding. "After passing the test, I somehow got transported to this weird dimension-place, where I met some weird American farmer guy. He looked like a nice farmer, but he was working with some wood, making some toys out of them or something...Yosef-sama?"

Yosef sweated a little, then coughed.

"Sorry," he replied, his voice a little hoarse. "So, was he an angel?"

"He did not say," Miho answered.

"What did the experiment do?" Momo suddenly interjected. "Did they do something weird or...or..."

Momo suddenly became quiet, as Yosef glared at her and all of the other girls. Everybody became quiet; it was obvious that Yosef was serious this time. Even Usamah craned his neck, in order to inspect the situation.

"Let me tell you something," Yosef said. "First, you don't need to know everything about someone else's life, especially the trials that Miho had to experience. They were bad enough; leave her alone. Second, too much knowledge can be a bad thing; maybe that's why it was not a good idea to know everything. And last but not least: the Suffering Six artifact is one way to try and understand the divine."

"What do you mean?" Miho asked.

 **"The Suffering Six is one of those strange things," Yosef said, his voice calming down. "That some people created long ago, because they wanted to get closer to God or whatever you Japanese call the divine. However, even we Jews know little about them; in fact, we tried to destroy them, once we realize that most people simply died or turned...demonic."**

The last word sent shivers down many girls' backs.

"Sorry to ruin the feast," Yosef said. "But I am serious; the experiment has caused some...bizarre mutations of sort. A few people died, while others transformed into abominations."

Miho shivered. She knew that by death, that those who passed had simply entered paradise, Heaven, or whatever it was. Others, then...

"What do you mean by 'demonic'?" Miho asked.

Yosef sighed and shrugged.

"That is a mystery," Yosef admitted. "I know a close friend who WILL spill the beans for me, but he's in Israel right now. As long as I am alive, we can put the pieces together, and then we can finally solve the mystery."

"What mystery?" Karina interjected, but Azusa quieted her.

"Come on," Azusa whispered. "Sometimes, you don't need to know everything."

"Very true," Yosef said. "As long as I am alive, I should be able to find the right connections, and allow you all girls to have permission to use the Merkava tanks and other Israeli tools."

"And the experiment?" Miho asked.

 **"To be honest," Yosef said. "The Suffering Six is one of those strange experiments from some...decades ago or something? I heard that WWII played a role in its creation."**

"What?" the girls asked, surprised.

 **"I don't know," Yosef admitted. "A lot of stuff is hidden these days. First, most of us have been kept in the dark about the existence of magic, for fear that its presence will disrupt the people's trust in science and all that stuff. Second, South America strangely became the hotspot for a wide variety of secret experiments, and many nations brought their latest and best stuff here. And third and lastly, Senshadou has some connection with this landmass for some reason."**

The girls were confounded.

"Umm," Miho spoke. "How is that all possible?"

"It's confusing," Yosef said. "Even I am perplexed. I am saying all that the scientist told me."

"Who is this scientist?" Usamah asked, only to be greeted by an elbow jab from one of the guards.

"She never told me her name," Yosef answered nonchalantly. "My base of operation was attacked, and the scientist was wounded beyond cure. She told me to run, but not before telling me as much as possible."

"Wait a minute," Usamah interjected. "You said...that a scientist was on the ground, and was he bleeding?"

"Yes?" Yosef replied. "And it was a woman."

"She was?"

"Yes?"

"Wait," Usamah said, frowning to think. "Did she...have glasses and red hair?"

"Yes," Yosef replied, then raised an eyebrow. "Wait...did you see her?"

"I did," Usamah admitted.

"So you were one of the invaders!" Yosef gasped.

"I was," he admitted. "I saw the scientist, and apparently I was chasing you, but I did not know. She caught my leg, and tried to restrict me. I kicked her, but not before I realized that she was a scientist. Oh, and by the way, I took away a small notebook she had."

"You did?!' Yosef asked, aghast. Miho noticed that he showed no sign of hostility, which surprised her.

"I took the book," he said. "Because it looked quite important. It was the only one that she wrapped around in some special shrink wrap, as if she prized it greatly. However, for some reason, I could not tear off the wrap."

"May I see?" Yosef asked.

"Here you go," Usamah said nonchalantly, handing it over.

It was a pocket-sized notebook, with a blue cover and what looked like a flag in the middle, an Israeli flag. It was wrapped in some sort of plastic, which showed signs of being torn at.

"Weird plastic," Yosef remarked. "And tough as steel!"

"That's the weird part," Usamah admitted. "I think you will know how to deal with it."

However, Yosef frowned at the book, thinking. Then, he went over to Miho, and put it in her hands.

"Huh?" she asked, surprised.

"I think you will need this one," he answered. "You survived the Suffering Six, and I have a feeling that the scientist wants someone like you to have it. I sense some sort of magic from it, deliberately designed so that only specific individuals can open it. It must be very important, for her to wrap her notebook in something that strong."

"But what can I do?" Miho asked.

"Do not worry about it," he replied. "Keep it, and you may be able to open it."

Miho slowly nodded, pocketing it.

 **"By the way," he said, clearing his throat. "Long story, if you all did not remember what I said, I will keep it short and simple: Abya Yala is a land full of mysteries. Apparently, due to some strange incidents from long ago, many nations kept their top secrets here. Plus, the Suffering Six is one of those weird artifacts, said to grant wishes or something. Something like the altars, but far stronger. In other words: you will encounter weird mysteries, and all of them are intertwined."**

The girls were silent, trying to process all of the information.

"In other words," Mako spoke. "From the Suffering Six to Senshadou, everything is somehow intertwined, right?"

"Right," he replied. "But it's also a lot simpler than you all think. For now...oh boy, I am getting hungry again."

The girls eventually got back into a bright mood, and they all feasted again. However, the guards then brought Usamah back into prison, while Mo wandered around. Yosef, however, sat down with Miho in a remote corner.

"So," he said in a low voice. "You survived the Suffering Six."

Miho nodded; she knew that this conversation was serious.

"Everything I said sounded complicated," he admitted. "But don't worry; it's both easier AND simpler than it sounds. What I do know is this: you are one of the main keys to Abya Yala."

"How so?" she asked.

"You are the only survivor of the Suffering Six," he replied. "Especially, one who is Japanese. We experimented on volunteers, all of them Israelites or Americans, and none have survived. Plus, you are right to speculate that by death, yes...those who choose to enter paradise never return to our world."

Miho gulped.

"So Miss Miho," he said, bowing his head towards her. "Thank you for choosing what's better for everyone. I know this, because one of my closest friends passed the test, and chose to leave Earth for good."

He sighed, and Miho could tell that he was sad.

"It was bittersweet," he said. "I know this, because he came to me in a dream, not long after I learned that he was dead. Apparently, even after they choose to enter paradise, they can still come in dreams to tell those whom they hold dear. I was essentially his only friend, so he revealed to me first. He told me that he admitted regretting the decision; even though he's happy and all, he realizes that his decision was ultimately a sort of selfish thing. I do not think that it was selfish, but he realized that the choice was irreversible, and wanted to help more before moving on."

"Wow," Miho said.

"So," he said. "Thank you. Now for the ezer-thing...I will have to see about that one. But please enjoy your friends."

He said this with a wide smile, bowing down as he let a group of friends come forward, showering Miho with praises and encouragement.

"Thank you for being alive!"

"You are so strong!"

"I wish I was like you!"

"Ehehehe," Miho reacted, unsure of what to do.

"You are so NICE!" the girls all roared. "And THANK YOU SO MUCH!"

Miho smiled sheepishly.

"I guess it's the right thing?" she tried to joke.

* * *

 **Same day, but 9:00 PM...**

"Good night!" the girls all told each other.

After a day-long festival into the night, the girls then soon cleaned up. Guards repositioned themselves, more out of habit rather than actually getting back to work. Some stayed up, talking all the way into the night. Some, like Miho, were tired enough to just sleep.

Miho stretched, checking her pajamas. She then touched her bed, glad to find something comfortable for once. She then took hold of Boko, squeezing it tight. However, she then decided to put it back in, and then got into her bed.

"Good night," she said to herself, but more at the sky above. Due to the beautiful sky above, most buildings had roofs that opened up, allowing them to enjoy the stars above.

"Whatever or whoever you are," Miho said. "Thank you for being with us. And let us be nice and good and survive this nightmare, and go home well. Thank you."

Miho fell into a very, VERY deep slumber, having a fun dream about being happy and all, just like the feeling she had when she almost stepped into paradise with Boko.

* * *

While everybody was asleep, even the sentries on duty, something glowed and sparkled.

In the forests below, something shone, and a number of orbs suddenly appeared. Glittering and brimming with a strange light and all kinds of colors, they flew up, then snuck past guards and sentries, and floated carefully around the settlement.

"Oh?" a voice grunted, causing the orbs to freeze in place.

"Feast," the sentry replied, before getting back to sleep. The orbs then floated away, as if searching for something. Two of them, however, noticed the building in the center, and all of them floated up the floor, and into a floor. There, they traveled around, apparently looking for something. Suddenly, one of them emitted a pleasant but high-pitched sound, and all of them grouped around.

Miho was sleeping in her bed, breathing deeply and calmly. The orbs then floated around her, as if circling her like fairies. Two of them, however, transformed, so that they glowed bright white with cherry blossom colors all around. However, one of them developed two light brown spots, while the other had two dark brown spots. Both then suddenly grew and grew, until the size of a small bed. After a while, all other orbs suddenly flew away in all directions, leaving the two behind.

Both then stopped, sparkling, then started to develop cracks, just like eggs. Indeed, the two started to crack louder and louder...

* * *

 **New Ooarai**

 **Mount New Ooarai, Guiana Shield**

 **7:00 AM; April 4, 20XX**

"Mmm..." Miho groaned, moving in her bed. Despite the bright sunlight outside, Miho still felt a little sore, as her body was finally experiencing the fatigue from everything that happened since yesterday. Plus, she had a weird dream.

"What a dream," she groaned. "What was that? It was not a nightmare, but seeing two orbs glowing, then cracking like eggs? Oh, I am hungry..."

"Want a message?" a young girl's voice echoed. "And some eggs?"

"Yes," Miho replied without really thinking. Suddenly, she felt her body's pain disappear in a flash.

"Huh?" she reacted, getting up. "What...the pain's gone?"

Suddenly, she smelled some eggs, and rolled to see her small table. Indeed, it actually had a plate of scrambled eggs on it!

"You asked for it!" the same voice squeaked, causing Miho to jump.

"Huh-huh?!" Miho gasped, turning to look more closely. Her jaws dropped.

"Hi there!" somebody stood there.

Miho rubbed her eyes, and stared, her mouth still open.

A little girl stood before her, fully dressed and ready to go outside.

"You ready?" the strange kid asked. "And the eggs are ready! Hello?"

Miho blinked, still gawking. The little girl wore a pink tank top, except that the straps and upper chest part were white in color. There was also a thin white stripe at the upper stomach area. She also wore a pair of blue jeans, which had been rolled up above the knees. She also wore a pair of sneakers, which were mostly red with the toe cap white in color. Other than those, the little girl had the exact same face, eye and hair color as her. Even her hair style was the same as hers! In fact, Miho recognized the clothing for some reason...

"Who-who are you?" Miho gasped.

The little girl chuckled, dancing her body a little. Miho dropped her jaw, as she noticed a small pair of white wings behind the little girl's back.

"Hi!" the little girl cried out again, with a huge grin. "I am you!"

* * *

 **Ladies and gentlemen, before we proceed, all reviews etc. are appreciated. And I hope that the information in this chapter was not too complicated. The chapter developed that way.**

 **And now...this is the beginning of something that will be a part of my story. Thank you for all your patience.**

 **It has been a struggle to implement this idea, of Miho (and some of her friends, spoiler alert!) gaining a VERY important ally. Well, I had this idea since last year, but this is the first time ever that I have managed to implement this. Hence, "Rise of Senshazonia" is the first story ever to incorporate this, and the next chapter's title says it all:**

 **Chapter 14: Angelitos**


	14. Chapter 14: Angelitos

**Now, here it is.**

 **Good luck.**

* * *

 **Rise of Senshazonia**

 **Chapter 14: Angelitos**

 **New Ooarai**

 **Mount New Ooarai, Guiana Shield**

 **7:00 AM; April 4, 20XX**

Miho blinked again. She stared...and stared.

The little girl tilted her head, her face innocent and cute.

"I am real," she replied, giggling. "In fact, I am you. Well, maybe smaller and different?"

"Umm..." Miho stammered. "Hi-hi...I am Nishizumi Miho? But...are you really me?"

"Technically yes," the little girl replied, dancing a little. Her wings fluttered around, which Miho found both cute and strangely appropriate.

Miho shook her head, and decided to take a closer look.

"Can you come here?" she asked, getting up but sitting down on the bed. "Please?"

The little girl nodded, and came up to her. Miho felt like a mother towards her daughter, as she inspected her.

She really looked like her younger child self. The strange girl still wore the same pink-and-white tank top, complete with rolled-up blue jeans and a pair of pink-and-white shoes. Her face still looked just like Miho's, except younger and with a bright smile that really showed youthful vigor.

"Are you curious?" the little girl asked, tilting her head.

Both stared at each other for a while. Silence filled the air, as the two were in an unofficial staring contest. Both avoided blinking at each other, although it was getting harder by the second.

Suddenly, both laughed out loud.

"Oh," Miho giggled, wiping her tears. "This is so weird."

"It is!" the little girl replied, jumping around and hovering a little in the air. "Oh-oh! That was a nice contest!"

"It was not really a contest," Miho said. "Just that...I am just confused. And are you really me?"

The little girl pouted, trying to make a frown, which looked more cute than angry.

"I am," she groaned. "But with wings and a name!"

"Your name?"

She shook her head.

"My nature," she replied. "I am an Angelito!"

"Angelito?" Miho began. "What does-"

 _Knock-knock._

The little girl looked, then suddenly disappeared in a flash.

"Huh?!" Miho spoke, surprised. "Oh! Who-who is it?"

"Miporin!"

"Ah!"

* * *

 **Two hours later...**

It was a peaceful day, as the girls went about their business. Miho soon forgot the mysterious girl, as she soon got used to the day. Indeed, one could not blame her; after suffering through her horrific trials two days ago, she simply wanted to be with her friends and all.

"Man!" Saori groaned, as she and her friends sat around for their usual lunch. "Anything to do?"

...well, maybe so.

"What?" Mako grunted, munching on a piece of cake in private. "Are you bored?"

"The world has become a little more peaceful," Hana said dreamily, as she consumed her third plate already.

"We definitely are safe now!" Yukari declared. "And some of our girls are fixing up the defenses."

Indeed, the girls finally got back to their usual routine, except for starting to prepare for possible invasions. Some of the more engineering-oriented girls were currently trying to research and develop new materials, in order to further strengthen their walls and fortifications. Learning from the issues with the rescue effort, the girls built more elevators, in order to facilitate both transport and emergency transport, while renovating the natural ramps to make them more accessible. However, at the end of the day, most girls were just either slacking off, or working slowly to pass the time.

"I thought we don't need to worry about those," Saori noted.

"Better safe than sorry," Yukari remarked, which the others agreed.

"We may be at peace right now," Miho said. "But there is no guarantee of it; I think I told you already, but our enemies are still around. Although we have peace and all, it's good to keep vigilant."

 _You don't have to be so_ , a mysterious voice suddenly rang in her ears.

"Eh-huh?!" Miho reacted, looking around.

"Are you alright?" Saori asked, blinking at her.

"I think..." Miho tried to speak. "I think...I may still suffer from fatigue."

"We can't blame you," Yukari said, yawning. "Man, after that, ALL of us are sick and tired."

The girls finished up their meal, and went around to check upon the others. Yukari was right.

"Ugh..." three girls moaned, sitting down a bench next to a small hospital.

"You alright?" Miho asked.

"Don't worry about us," one of them groaned. "I think we're still feeling the...the...fatigue and stress from yesterday?"

"No," the other grunted. "You mean two days ago."

"Shut up," the last girl groaned, holding an ice bag over her forehead.

"What happened?" Miho asked.

"Remember the rescue team?" Saori noted. "We all came, but we were so desperate, that we did not really eat at all. Plus, the effort worked out well, but a good number of us are in the hospital, suffering from the likes of dehydration and fatigue and whatnot."

"Ah," Miho began, but Saori cut her off.

"It's never your fault," she replied. "We chose to recklessly just come to the rescue, without really preparing ourselves mentally. Miporin, be glad that we're all safe and sound, and good thing that we shot no one."

 _And I will help with your conscience,_ the same voice suddenly echoed in Miho's ears, causing her to shake her head again.

"Sorry," Miho replied, touching her head.

"I think we better get back to your room," Hana noted, and they all agreed.

* * *

 **20 minutes later...**

Miho lied down on the bed again, sighing in relief.

"Do you need anything else?" Saori asked, as she and the others were wearing their shoes. "Miporin?"

"No," Miho replied, chuckling a little. "Except maybe some macarons."

"Surprised to have a few girls who know that onboard," Hana remarked. "I mean, I know we had macarons back on our school carrier, but a few girls who actually know..."

"Sure a blessing to count for," Mako remarked, her mouth slightly salivating.

"Mako," Saori admonished her. "We're buying them for Miporin. You have enough of sugar."

Mako rolled her eyes, but smiled at Miho.

"Good luck out there," Miho called out, as her friends went out the door.

"Sleep well!" her friends reciprocated, before closing the door behind.

Miho stretched and sighed in relief.

"Boo!" a familiar voice echoed.

"Ah!" Miho gasped, then regained her composure. "Oh, it's you again."

The same girl bounced about, her wings fluttering.

"I had to hide," the little girl replied, flapping her wings. "Unless you specify, I hide just for safety reasons."

Miho nodded, then tilted her head.

"So," Miho said. "Who are you exactly? Please start with you being Angelito."

The little girl shrugged, then began her story:

* * *

"I don't remember much," she said. "I recall being born out of something of an egg or orb or something shiny. Then, I ended up next to you, then I sense a few more egg-orb-things just like mine. However, they all disappeared before I had the opportunity to see what had happened.

"Oh, and I should explain myself. I am an Angelito. Spanish for 'little angel,' an Angelito is a physical version of who you are inherently, especially the better side of you. Hmm, I think that sounds a little weird. Or an Angelito is simply a physical manifestation of the master's true nature."

"Master?" Miho asked. "And true nature?"

"You," the little girl replied. "All Angelitos are born to serve their masters, because of their good deeds and stuff. I am a girl of simple logic; there is no gray, just black and white."

Miho thought that last part deeply. She sure was the version of her younger self, when she was much clearer about her conscience.

"Plus," the girl continued. "I have some special powers, so far as I know. One, I can fly around, which is obvious. Two, I can communicate with you without talking."

 _See what I mean?_ Miho's head rang suddenly, as she stared at the girl.

 _Wow!_ she replied, astonished.

"I rarely use that one though," the little girl admitted. "It's harder than flying, for some reason."

"But third is the most important," she continued. "Although we have some powers maybe and so, but we can clearly show you the right and wrong things to do."

"What do you mean?" Miho asked.

The little girl, however, pouted.

"I guess being adult sucks," she sighed. "OK, so I am a supernatural agent in charge of helping you to make the right decisions, while avoiding the wrong ones. Therefore, you always have someone to tell you what's REALLY right from wrong."

"Ah," Miho noted. "Sort of like the 'shoulder angel and devil,' right?"

"Yes!" the little girl replied. "But without the devil; you somehow destroyed that one."

"Huh?"

"I don't know how or why," she admitted. "But all I know is that **the evil side of you has been defeated for good. That does not mean that you are 100% pure, but that does mean that doing good is much easier**. Plus, what little I know about my birth is that I was born after you won something."

Miho blinked, then remembered.

"The Suffering Six!" Miho gasped.

"Who?"

Miho then explained to her the Suffering Six, and how everything came about. The little girl whispered in awe.

"You sure are good," the little girl replied.

 **"No-no," Miho objected. "I am just a normal girl wanting to do the right thing."**

The little girl frowned again, although it looked cute.

"You're not normal," she retorted. "You're good."

"Huh?"

"And by the way," the little girl continued. "I don't really have a name, other than being you. What should be my name?"

Miho tilted her head, and the little girl copied her.

"I am still a kid," she replied. "You know, a newborn kid? But not baby?"

"Eh..." Miho tried to make a point, but was unsure. "How about...Mipo?"

"Mipo?" the little girl asked. "Like Saori calling you 'Miporin' but shorter?"

She nodded.

"Eh...no," the little girl replied with a shrug. "It will be confusing, since 'Mipo' is too close to 'Miho.'"

"Great point," Miho said, thinking. "How about...Mira?"

"Mira?" the little girl asked.

"It means 'peaceful' and 'wonderful' or something," Miho explained.

The little girl stared, then made a huge grin.

"Yes!" the angelic girl yelled with delight, flying around the room like a fairy. "I am Mira, the little guardian angel alongside Miho!"

Miho chuckled, then something clicked inside of her.

"I am going to get you~" Miho said, making a sly grin.

"No hide-and-seek~" Mira reciprocated.

It was obvious what they were going to do.

"Catch me if you can!" Mira shouted, flying around the room. Despite the small size, she was both agile and flexible, weaving around and avoiding Miho's outstretched arms.

"Oh no you don't!" Miho yelled, slightly aware of her weird change of behavior. "I get you!"

The two then chased each other. At first, Mira easily flew out of Miho's reach. Then, Miho feigned tiredness, drawing Mira close. Once close enough, Miho lunged at her.

"Tag!" Miho said, before zooming off to a corner.

Mira rolled her eyes, then beelined at her. However, Miho threw her blanket, covering Mira.

"Hey!" Mira groaned, before the two then got into a wrestling match. After rolling around, with both trying to "struggle" against each other, the two lied down on the floor, laughing and crying.

"Oh boy," Miho groaned. "It's been a while since I have played like that."

"Oh come on," Mira noted, getting up. "We have more to do."

"Hmm?"

"I am still figuring some things out," Mira admitted, her face growing more serious (although it still looked cute). "I still sense that the other egg-things can hatch, but I have been trying to see if I can-oh wait..."

Mira frowned, trying to concentrate. However, Miho felt it as well. It felt similar to Mira's aura, which Miho felt well enough. It was not as "fun-loving" as Mira's, with a more mature feel to it.

"I think I can sense it," Mira began. "If another is around and-"

"Hello," a familiar voice echoed from the balcony.

Both Miho and Mira turned around, and gasped.

* * *

"You must be my younger sister," the new girl smirked, as Miho quickly opened the balcony door.

Miho looked at the new girl. She wore an orange shirt with buttons and long sleeves, which were rolled up to the elbows, so that the sleeves' blue insides were exposed. The girl also wore a pair of very light brown pants, which had a picture of an orange elephant on the left side. Her blue-and-light-blue shoes were a sharp contrast to Mira's.

"Onee-chan!" Mira squealed, surprising her sister with a tackle.

"Ouch!" the little girl gasped. "Wow, I expected you to be happy, but that this happy!"

"Onee-chan!" Mira continued to squeal, tugging at the new Angelito. "You're born!"

"Oh come on," the Maho lookalike grunted, with a nice grin on her face. "Sorry to bother you all, but I am...you OK?"

Miho sniffed, wiping away her tears. The way they tugged at each other reminded her...of her times with her sister as kid. Indeed, seeing Maho look so happy...no, she looked happier as a kid.

"Oh," Mira said, hugging Miho. "Don't cry, master."

"You found her already?" the Maho lookalike noted.

"And did-did you..." Miho gasped, before shaking herself awake. "Did you find Maho?"

The little girl smirked.

"I found her," she replied, before snapping her fingers at Miho's laptop screen. Suddenly, a video screen blared, and Maho's worried face showed.

"Miho!"

"Onee-chan!"

* * *

"They're having a great time," Mira said, as she played with her sister.

Miho and Maho talked with each other for at least an hour straight. The two Angelitos played with each other, flying out the window occasionally to get some fresh air, before returning back.

"...that's how we met," Maho said, finally finishing her side of the story. "Sorry to repeat it all, but I am still trying to accept this."

Long story short, the two were simply talking about how they were doing. Miho learned that Maho was going to leave again for university in Germany, since she had to finish her classes. However, Maho was feeling a lot more comfortable, because of Maho's Angelito. Maho's Angelito showed another power that Angelitos had: the power to connect through a specific device. Maho encountered her Angelito while on her walk, really to relieve her worries. Meeting her was a shock, as Maho still had to deal with the existence of magic, but seeing a little kid version of herself with wings was one that really got her.

"You almost fell?" Miho gasped.

"I did not," Maho said, although she blushed. "Well, I leaned upon a tree to avoid it, but she then told me that she's an Angelito, a being who guides those chosen to help make the right choices in life and all. Plus, she told me that all Angelitos can contact each other, but it's both limited and hard to understand."

"I did not know that we all can do that," Mira noted, as the conversation drew her and her sister-Angelito in.

"Well," Maho said. "I am still handling this, but I am more accepting of magic's existence now...but who are you really?"

"I am you," the new Angelito declared. "Well...I don't have a name either."

"Miho," Maho said. "How about you decide?"

"Wha-what?" Miho asked. "No-no, she's your Angelito, you should contribute."

"How about Mary?" Maho noted.

"Too common," her Angelito sighed.

"Mara?" Miho suggested. "It sort of rhymes with Mira."

"Mara is the name of a Buddhist demon," the Angelito explained.

"Oops," Miho replied with a sheepish grin.

"How about Mana?" Mira suggested. "It's sort of like a meaning for energy or something."

Her sister-Angelito brightened up, her smile big and genuine.

"Then it's settled," Maho said with a smile. "You are Mana now, and I command that you look after Miho."

"Eh?!" both Miho and Mira gasped.

"Roger that," Mana answered with a military salute.

"Why?" Miho asked.

"You need her more than I do," Maho explained. "Here, Alice and I are safe and sound, and the government even has provided concessions, assuming the worst. We're going to let everything go as if nothing has happened; I assume that they think you all are dead."

"Dead..." Miho whispered, looking down.

The others looked at her with worried eyes.

"Cheer up," Mira said, patting her.

"Agreed," Mana said, tapping her lightly.

Miho looked at both Angelitos, and smiled.

"Thanks," Miho said, then looked at the screen again. "Onee-chan, thank you."

"Miho," Maho said, looking back. "I have to go soon. I have more to talk, but I think we need to keep a low profile. Talk later."

Maho then put her hands together to form a heart, a rare gesture from her. Miho smiled, and reciprocated.

"Good night," Maho said.

"It's not yet," Miho teased her.

"Well good luck out there," she replied. "Stay alive, and live strong. I hope to see you soon."

"Bye!" both called out to each other.

 _Click._

The screen returned back to normal, and Miho closed down the laptop, sighing in relief.

"What a day," she groaned.

"Miporin!" a voice yelled from the outside.

She looked at the door, then at the two Angelitos.

She smiled.

"How about I introduce you all?" Miho asked, smiling.

The two Angelitos looked at each other, then at Miho.

"Bring it on!" Mira declared, smiling.

* * *

 **Well, here you go. The first two Angelitos confirmed:**

 **Mira**

 **-The Angelito of Miho, she is spunky, mischievous, and truly good-natured at heart. She represents some aspects of Miho, such as her kindness, plus the rarer traits of being sneaky, extroverted, and extremely bright. She likes to play pranks, especially by bringing in creepy crawlies and animals that most girls will find gross.**

 **Mana**

 **-The Angelito of Maho, she is much like Maho, but more extroverted, more open, and more fun-loving. Interestingly, personality-wise, she resembles Miho, and may have what Maho would have become if she did not become the captain of Kuromorimine. Mana is athletic and determined, with a more mature sense than Mira. However, she loves curry (more openly so than Maho), and she gets some unwanted attention...**

 **By the way, both are based on not only the Girls und Panzer der Film, but also a fan work drawn by Kazumi Yu: Child und Panzer.**

 **More will be coming, but not yet...**

 **In the meantime, I will try and keep this story both easy to read, but still enjoyable and vast. You will notice that this chapter is short; well, I decide that a good chapter does not have to be long all the time.**

 **Please let me know, both through reviews and PMs, how I can improve on my worldbuilding. I appreciate your responses. Thank you, and panzer vor!**


	15. Chapter 15: Boring Day?

**I guess I suffered another writer's block.**

 **So, after this one, I will officially take a break, in order to fully recover. However, I may also try and write another story; maybe I have a writer's block, because I am stuck.**

 **Please review and let me know. Anything helps. Thank you.**

* * *

 **Rise of Senshazonia**

 **Chapter 15: Boring Day?**

 **New Ooarai**

 **Mount New Ooarai, Guiana Shield**

 **9:45 AM; April 4, 20XX**

"OK," one of her friends said, after shaking her head for what felt like the 1,000th time. "What really happened?"

Miho giggled nervously, as she watched out the balcony of the central building, which was being renovated. Bamboo scaffolding surrounded the entire building, as the construction workers tore down old walls, while remodeling other parts. Her four teammates looked out from the same balcony, gazing at the spectacle below and around them.

Long story short, Miho introduced her two companions to the other members of Anglerfish Team.

"Hi there!" Mira the Angelito of Miho shouted out in delight, bowing down very enthusiastically.

"Hello," Mana the Angelito of Maho greeted them, more like a lady as she gave them a curtsy.

All four friends stood there, with various and rather...amusing reactions.

"Ka-kawaii!" Saori squealed, jumping up and down with hands clapping.

 _She did that back at our team talent show_...Miho thought with a nervous smile.

"Wow," Hana said, staring in awe and grasping her hands together as if in prayer. "This is amazing."

"This is so COOL!" Yukari shouted, causing the two Angelitos to jump a little.

"Panzer high," Miho said calmly, causing her to pout. The two Angelitos giggled.

Mako blinked, her eyes gradually widening, as the revelation dawned upon her.

"Another sign of magic," she curtly replied.

"Mako!" Saori groaned, noticing the delayed reaction of her friend. "Can you at least react more appropriately, please?"

"I have low blood sugar," Mako grunted. "Can you deal with that?"

"Sure!"

The others looked at Mira, who was smiling wide.

"What?" the others asked.

"You want some?" she asked again, snapping her left fingers, then opened them wide. Suddenly, a chocolate chip cookie appeared on the open palm!

The others blinked, too surprised to react at first.

"What..." began Miho, but Mako instantly snatched the cookie, biting on it like a hungry dog...or cat.

"How did you do that?" Miho asked, amazed at the new power.

"A few quirks here and there," Mira said with a smile that was too innocent while tilting her head to the side. "I rarely can do it, but it was easy to do."

"Careful," Mana said. "While I can see _why_ you did that, be careful with your energy reserve next time."

"Energy reserve?" the girls asked the Angelitos.

"All of us have some limits on energy," Mana explained. "Just as the tank needs fuel to move and function."

Miho blinked in disbelief.

"This is just too much to comprehend," Saori said, sighing in resignation.

"I guess you are tired of magic and all?" Miho asked, feeling a sweat drop.

Saori slowly nodded.

"Magic here and there," she groaned. "And then more surprises after surprises...I cannot really react anymore."

"But it is cool and pretty handy," Hana said, while watching Mako devour the cookie. Hana slowly but diligently wiped her mouth, hungry for the same cookie.

"So you're our fairies or something?" Yukari asked the two.

"Sort of," Mana answered with a shrug.

"Cool!" Mira replied, fluttering her wings around. "Fairies fighting with our masters!"

"Stop calling me master," Miho said, giggling nervously.

"It's a bit weird too," Mako said with cookie crumbs on her face. "But at least we need any help we need."

Miho nodded in agreement.

"Any help we need," she said, as she went out to the balcony, with the Angelitos following her. "We really need it now."

The others went out and joined her, as they watched the surroundings. The two Angelitos then jumped out the balcony, flying around with their sparkling wings.

"You know," Hana said, watching both the Angelitos and the surroundings. "Most of us have been trying to gather up as much food as possible, while trying to improve our weapons."

"We can help," Mana said, swooping down to face them.

"How?" the others asked.

"We cannot grant wishes like genies," explained Mana. "But at least we can...accelerate the production in a subtle way."

The girls looked at each other, then Miho spoke.

"Anything helps," Miho said with a shrug. At this rate, she was getting used to the bizarre nature of Abya Yala, the former continent of South America, now overrun and utterly transformed, blocked from the outside world by some strange storms.

"Don't worry," Mana said. "We'll stay hidden, unless you want us to show ourselves. However, Hana-senpai made a great point: we should rally our base, and be ready."

Miho smiled, and went back and in.

"What are you doing?" Saori asked.

"Getting ready to go out," she replied. "Are you all in?"

The others smiled.

"We're in!" they replied.

"Meet you all later!" Mira shouted out, flying away at an incredible speed.

"Wait!" Mana yelled, racing to catch her.

"The youth of childhood..." Mako groaned. "I wish I was younger."

"Mako," Saori groaned, carrying her. "Be mature, for crying out loud!"

Miho smiled, as she prepared her items to take out. Checking her clothing, the others went out and waited for her.

"Let's go," she replied, exiting the door and closing it with a small thud.

* * *

 **New Ooarai**

 **Mount New Ooarai, Guiana Shield**

 **8:00 AM; April 14, 20XX**

Many days passed since the rescue operation. However, for a day or so, almost everyone just simply "crashed and burned," lazing around as they were too tired to even eat. However, they soon recovered, and were now back to work. Specifically, the girls anticipated possible retaliation, so decided to focus on maximizing both food production and weapons production.

"We have sent scouts throughout the area," Miho said, as she gathered up at the meeting house. All of the original Senshadou practitioners were present, as the meeting was both long and crucial.

"Some scouts have watched the...lab," Miho said with hesitance. Behind her, Mira (invisible to the others) patted her to keep her calm and sane. Miho smiled, then cleared her throat.

"They report that the lab is totaled," Miho explained. "Which means that it's now safe to inspect it."

"And salvage what it has," Anzu said, munching on a sweet potato chip. Miho nodded in agreement.

"We have already sent more girls there," Momo said. "And we'll follow them soon after this meeting."

"Thank you," Miho replied. "And then, some of our scouts around the lab have discovered some of the people there. Some were dead, so the girls quickly scavenged what they had. Others, however, were alive, but refused to come with us, or even divulge some information."

"I believe they were afraid of us," Yuzu said. "Because we're Senshazons."

The others murmured in subtle agreement. Miho sighed.

"Well," Miho said. "Right now, all we know is that we have not only improved our defenses, but also have managed to fully create a few hundred more Merkava tanks. Yosef-sama has been busy, inspecting each and every Merkava for quality. Our agricultural students and others have done their parts well; now, we have managed to create greenhouses underneath the tepui that we're on."

"Good thing," Momo groaned, slumping on her chair. "We've been worried about food all day."

"You mean yourself," Yuzu said, chuckling. "Momo-chan."

"Stop calling me that!" she screamed, while Anzu casually watched with delight, munching on her chips.

"Anyway," Miho said, giggling a little. "I believe that in order to keep this meeting easy to understand, we'll go through each of our report. Anglerfish Team will finish last, since ours appears to be the most important. Anzu-sama?"

Anzu stood up, and rummaged through her report, although a fee crumbs fell down unto the paperwork.

"Turtle Team's scouts," she began her report. "Are the ones in charge of checking the lab and its surroundings. We've lost no one, even though each clone-girl was willing to die, but on Miho's orders, they were all careful."

 _Miho-sama_ , Mira spoke inside of Miho's mind. _They don't need to live; they are designed to die in battle. Their deaths do not traumatize you all, but I appreciate you being cautious._

 _Thank you_ , Miho spoke back in the mind. _I know that you have told me before. Unlike normal girls, clone-girls are actually literal copies of the original. Therefore, they are immune to traumas, and technically are easy to use._ _But I will have to accept that later, since they appear to still have personalities and souls. I am still not sure._

 _Understandable_ , Mira spoke, and Miho could tell that she was smiling. _You will understand soon._

"Can't they just die?" Momo groaned. "I mean, the clone-girls keep insisting so."

"Until I say so," Miho said, a little more serious than usual. Momo gulped.

"Sorry about that," Miho said. "But I want to be sure, before we just 'dump' the girls into reckless charges and all. But Anzu-sama, other than the lab and the few survivors, anything else?"

"Unfortunately no," Anzu said. "Momo and Yuzu will go with me to check out the areas more thoroughly. Like everyone here, our reports are strictly from the scouts and their forces."

"Thank you," Miho said. "Duck Team?"

"Our scouts are responsible for checking vaults to the east of New Ooarai," Noriko, the leader of the Duck Team, said. "And from the reports, they have found more Israeli vaults-"

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME EARLIER?!"

The girls jumped, as Yosef slammed the door open, panting for breath.

"Are you psychic?!" some of the girls gasped in shock.

"So-sorry," he gasped in response. "I-I was walking by and heard Miss Isobe. We-well, I will go with the Duck Team ASAP after I check the last five tanks."

"Take your time," Miho said.

He saluted, and as he turned to get out, his eyes rested on Akebi. Turning quickly, he moved out.

"Did he glance at you?" Taeko asked.

"I believe he did," Shinobu mumbled, blushing a little.

"He did," Akebi said. "Was he checking something?"

Saori and a few of the girls sighed or rolled their eyes. They knew what he was looking _at_.

"OK," Miho said, giggling. "Duck-sama and Yosef-sama will check the Israeli vaults to the east. Hippo Team?"

"Caesar and I got separate reports," Erwin said, as she and Caesar checked their files. "Our spies checked the western parts, and have found some vaults with...kanji? But the girls could not read the letters."

"I believe they were of a different language," Caesar said, showing the group one of the letters. "These are it. Although they look like kanji, we could not read them."

"That looks familiar," Saemonza mumbled, trying to think and read at the same time.

"That's Chinese!" Oryou gasped. "We've found some Chinese vaults!"

"Hippo Team," Miho said. "Go there and check to make sure if anyone is there. If not, try and open up the vaults, and salvage what you have."

"Roger that!" the Hippo girls said, saluting her.

"And make sure to get Yosef's vault-hacking keys," Miho said. "I don't know how, but he has found a blueprint, which allows him to craft some strange key modules, which are supposed to help open up even the foreign vaults."

"How was he able to do that?" Karina of the Rabbit Team asked.

"Shush," Azusa, the leader of the Rabbit Team, whispered. "We'll get to that."

"He admits that it's a lucky find or a predestination something," Miho explained. "But make sure to get at least three of them, just in case. Rabbit Team?"

"Ahem," Azusa said, trying to tidy herself as she spoke. "Reports to the south affirm that they have found some vaults down there with...kanji or something?"

"Again?" Erwin and Caesar both asked, raising their eyebrows.

"That's not kanji," Karina said, peeking over. "That's Jap...no, never mind."

"It looks fancy," Yuuki said, craning her neck. "Oh, it looks weird."

Saki leaned over, apparently curious despite her plain face.

"It looks odd," Ayumi noted.

"And weird," Aya said.

"And fancy," Yuuki said again, as the others fidgeted a little.

"Let me see it!" Momo roared, stomping towards the six girls, who jumped.

"Calm down," Miho said. "Show it to us."

Azusa turned it around, showing them the letters. Miho blinked, as she read the letters.

"Oh," Miho said. "That's Korean."

"Korean?!" the others gasped.

"Wa-wait a minute!" Momo shouted, almost throwing a fit. "Koreans?! They've gained reputation for employing some of the strongest girls ever in international tankery!"

"How strong?" the Rabbit Team girls asked.

"Unlike our nation," Yuzu explained. "Korea is still divided into two nations: North Korea and South Korea, who are still at war. Hence, all girls who practice the Korean version of Senshadou are not only sportswomen, but also actual military personnel."

The girls shivered.

"Wa-wait," Yuuki said, shivering. "Bo-both?"

Yuzu nodded.

"That means," she explained. "That unlike our Senshadou, which is focused on disciplining us into feminine role models, the Tankery there, known something like 'Juanchado' or something-sorry about my lack of Korean knowledge, is focused on transforming women into actual soldiers of war."

The girls shivered again.

"What vaults are here in Abya Yala?" Azusa asked, trying to regain her composure.

"Definitely those from South Korea," Miho said. "Those letters are clearly South Korean in origin. My mother got me into a special class, where I got to learn about how to tell 'North Korean writing' from 'South Korean' ones. Apparently, once you learn enough, you can tell. Plus, the pictures of the vaults have no reference to the Kim family, only condemning the dictatorship."

"Wow," Yuzu noted. "You can read Korean?"

"A little," Miho said. "I am better at recognizing them, rather than reading and writing it. My mother has aspirations of sending me and onee-chan to South Korea, just because of that kind of reputation."

"W-wait," Momo said, shaking a little. "Your mother wanted to send you to South Korea, because they are that strict and powerful?"

"Yes," Miho replied.

"Are South Koreans like Kuromorimine?" Erwin asked.

"Yes," Miho replied and nodded, causing the girls to shiver once more.

"This basically means," Miho said, sweating a little. "That if there are actual Koreans here, then they will be like Kuromorimine, except as real military soldiers."

"Wow," Caesar said, wiping her forehead with her scarf, as the girls started to panic a little. "You nailed it."

"That means," Miho said. "We should send extra reinforcements. Rabbit Team, go there to assist the scouts. Mallard Team, please go with them to help; this is serious."

"Roger that!" Sodoko replied. "Gomoyo! Pazomi! Let's go there after this!"

"Hai!" Gomoyo replied. "I am in!"

"I'm in too," Pazomi agreed.

"And bring some of our Public Relations teammates," Sodoko said. "We'll need more."

"I hope you're alright with that," Miho said. "If there are Koreans there, please be nice to them. I don't want any bloodshed, especially unprovoked."

"Don't worry," Azusa said. "We'll be fine."

"We'll try our best," Sodoko said.

"Good luck," Mako said. "Sodoko-san."

Sodoko growled at that. Miho nodded, praying silently that they be safe.

"What about the north?" Nekota asked.

"Anteater Team," Miho said. "We've found out that somehow, you girls seem to be great at activating our communications system. You all will stay here, in order to keep that in working order."

"We can't go out?" Momoga groaned.

"Come on," Piyotan said, trying to cheer her. "At least we're safe."

"And keeping us all safe," Miho said with a serious tone. "Communications are one of the major keys in victory. We want all of our 40 scouting groups to come back in one piece. Nekota-san, you three are excused. Immediately go to the communications center to check."

"Roger that!" the Anteater girls declared, before rushing out the door.

"Leopon Team," Miho said. "You girls know what to do; you're dismissed."

"Of course," Nakajima said. "Another factory work and weapons production again."

"At least we get frequent breaks," Hoshino said, getting up along with the others.

"And we'll split the work," Suzuki said.

"And have fun!" Tsuchiya yelled.

"Have fun," Miho said, smiling. "And be careful."

"What about us?" Ogin asked, as her teammates were fidgeting. They were not used to such a serious discussion, since they were still delinquents at heart.

"You all know what to do," Miho said with a shrug. "You are in command of half of the groups, and they are all composed of delinquents. Keep exploring, scavenging, and checking the areas as usual."

"We're on," Ogin said, getting up before Miho could tell them to do so. "Mates, let's go."

"And make sure to check the north if you can!" Sodoko declared, although the delinquents did not seem to notice her.

"And the meeting is officially over," Miho said, feeling a little nervous. "Oh, not yet! Saori-san, Yukari-san, Hana-san, and Mako-san, your reports?"

"Our girls are doing great!" Saori declared. "Textiles and cooking and everything girly are great!"

Miho giggled a little.

"My own scouting has yielded some unusual stuff," Yukari said. "I have found some weird settlements; I don't know whether they're friendly or not, but I have marked their locations."

"Let us hope that they're not Salvajes," Momo groaned.

"Don't kill the mood," Yuzu remarked, as the girls shivered at the words.

"Our base is wonderfully in order," Hana said. "Everybody in the base is working elegantly. Both the southern and the eastern ramps are officially finished, and the third one to the west is currently under construction."

Miho nodded. The natural ramps were all modified into more accessible, more artificial forms of infrastructure, ingrained with hidden traps that activate whenever danger was present. Now that the ramps were renovated, the third one was under construction.

"All of our tech stuff is in working condition," Mako spoke, her voice bland like a robot. "And we are done."

"Mako!" Saori groaned.

"We are done," Miho said. "All this will take over the course of five days or more. So girls...panzer vor!"

"Oi!" the others declared, raising their fists in agreement.

"Oi!" the outside voices echoed.

"Are they still here?" Sodoko groaned, growling.

"Let them be," Miho said. "We'll be getting there. Let's go."

* * *

 **New Ooarai**

 **Mount New Ooarai, Guiana Shield**

 **9:45 AM; April 21, 20XX**

"Wow," Miho said, gasping at the spectacle. "We've done a lot."

She was on top of the newly renovated center. The central building was now a strange hybrid of a fort, a castle, a mansion, and a single tower that looked suspiciously like the Eiffel Tower.

"But what's up with the design?" Saori asked, looking at the building from the balcony alongside Miho.

"A combination of both careful engineering," Yukari noted. "And...weird imagination."

"I guess we're still Japanese at heart," Mako said nonchalantly. "As the city center, where we are, resembles some buildings from Ooarai and parts of Japan to a degree."

"I was the one who advised the addition of the tower," Hana admitted. "In order to better spy from our center."

"Hopefully the enemies won't notice," Yosef said, leaning on the rail next to Miho. "And we have new weapons now."

Miho nodded. Since last week, the girls had discovered new materials and blueprints from the vaults. While some were Israeli, others were from different countries. Massive walls now lined the edges of the plateau, so that the whole tepui looked vaguely like the Forbidden City. In fact, this was due to the Chinese vaults, where the girls obtained data that allowed them to build massive walls, each made up of 50 meters of composite steel, concrete, stone, and even graphene.

"Graphene," Yosef said, his voice shaking a little. "To see it here...is a miracle."

"What's graphene?" the girls asked.

"The strongest material known to man," he replied. "It's 200 times stronger than steel."

The girls gasped in awe.

"And not an easy one to mass-produce," Miho noted. "For some reason, our engineers have managed to apply it into building walls and fortifications, but had a hard time applying it into tanks."

"It's a little brittle," Yosef explained. "In scientific circles, 'strength' and 'fracture toughness' are not the same. Hence, our walls are also fortified with depleted uranium."

"Isn't that dangerous?" Mako asked. Although she looked nonchalant, her tone betrayed her concern.

"For humans," he answered. "For you girls, who are Senshazons, you are resistant to uranium poisoning."

The girls gasped at that one.

"Who even researched on us Senshazons?" Yukari asked. "It's amazing how quickly they even research on us!"

"Humans are humans," Yosef replied. "We have a penchant for learning, even in the smallest of details. Anyway, thanks to the Israeli, Chinese, and Korean vaults, we have the technology to build such massive fortifications."

He was right. Outside of the tepui walls, the whole area of New Ooarai was surrounded by multiple rings of walls. The largest, the ones closest to the tepui, were at least 100 meters wide, and surrounded most of the buildings of importance to the girls. Two more walls surrounded the tepui, which extended miles away from the giant walls. These two walls were each about 30 m wide, surrounding massive farmlands and even forests. The girls also discovered new mines, and had built massive roads to transport goods back and forth. The girls improvised a variety of military vehicles, using them as transport vehicles.

"But the pride of New Ooarai," Yosef said. "Is our AFVs!"

"AFVs?" Yuuki asked, as she and her Rabbit Team girls came in, working as maids to cater to the needs of the VIPs in the balcony.

"AFVs are Armored Fighting Vehicles," Yosef answered, as he and the others sat down to enjoy their snack. "And thank you for the service."

The Rabbit girls bowed down, then left, giggling. Yosef smirked.

"Guess you're getting the attention," Saori groaned, as she sipped her tea. "And yes, our AFVs are looking great!"

"Thanks to the recent population boom," Yosef said. "The clone-girls have rapidly increased the population, so that we have over 700,000 here now."

"721,518," Momo said, reading from a census report. "And counting."

The entire Anglerfish Team, the Turtle Team, and Yosef were sitting around a table of teacups, drinks, and snacks, as they discussed the recent events.

"No casualties so far," Miho said. "But now...I believe that I am ready."

"Now?" Saori asked.

"Well," Miho admitted. "The girls were fidgeting a lot lately, saying that they KNOW that they can be easily killed off, and then replaced. I did not like that idea at first, but after thinking...fighting is necessary, but a good battle is won with minimal bloodshed."

"Ah," Yosef said, nodding. "Have you read _The Art of War_?"

She nodded.

"Clever girl," he remarked. "And a great general at that. You will need that, especially now that you are willing to use the clone-girls, and that we have brand-new weapons at our disposal."

Nodding, Miho laid out a map of the entire New Ooarai. In the middle was the Mount New Ooarai, defined by giant walls, numerous buildings in the form of squares, and a single, colossal circle that was the central building. Around it were farmlands and numerous buildings, flanked by a ring of smaller walls. Outside further, there were vast expenses of farms, forests, and even villages, where some girls resided.

"Already a whole society," Yosef mumbled in amazement. "In the course of only a few months. Such a feat takes years, even decades, for a normal human settlement."

"But the tanks!" Yukari squealed with delight.

"Alright," Yosef said. "What do we have?"

"You start," Momo said.

"Alright," Yosef said with a smirk (Momo made a face). "From one of the Israel vaults, we have discovered both a blueprint and a few complete models of a new type of Merkava: the Merkava Gibor Ruach."

* * *

Merkava Gibor Ruach

A new type of Merkava tank, the Gibor Ruach ("Wind Mighty") is technically identical to the Merkava Mk.5 Lev Ruach ("Wind Heart"). However, its turret is larger, so that the tank is higher than the Lev Ruach. Hence, it is a little slower than the Lev Ruach. In return, it is distinct in being able to wield a 175-mm railgun! Thanks to its unique gun, the Merkava Gibor Ruach can fire shells at speeds of about 2,520 meters per second! Due to its incredible firepower, the New Ooarai girls have decided to set aside three factories in its production. So far, while they have at least 1,000 Merkava Mk.5 Lev Ruach tanks, the girls have managed to produce 25 of the Merkava Gibor Ruach railgun tanks.

* * *

"For some strange reason," Yosef said. "While the railgun was incredible, we cannot really reverse-engineer it."

"We can replicate it," Miho said. "But the engineering girls said that the replication works only for Merkava Gibor Ruach tanks. We cannot make it smaller, but we can make it bigger. We have 210-mm and 240-mm railgun turrets, situated on top of most of our inner walls."

"With those," Yosef said. "We have enough of both range and firepower to deal with enemies from afar."

The girls nodded. Indeed, the girls felt even more relaxed. In sharp contrast to the 25 Gibor Ruach tanks, the girls now had 100 towers armed with the Gibor Ruach turrets.

"And both types of Merkava have something called the Super Trophy system," Miho said. "What is that?"

"An Israeli invention," Yosef said with a smile. "Great at destroying shells before they strike. It's so good, even the US bought some for their own Abrams."

The girls whispered in awe.

"A tiny nation," Yuzu remarked. "Was able to impress a nation far bigger than itself; that's a feat."

"But we have more!" Yukari said, slamming down a document showing another tank: the Jiguang.

* * *

Jiguang

A type of Chinese secret tank, the Jiguang ("Laser") is based on the Type 99G, the main battle tank of the modern Chinese army. However, like other tanks, it was a drastic modification of the original. It is distinct in being able to fire laser shots from its own cannon. In fact, it has a few laser guns, so that the tank is armed to the teeth. Laser shots from this tank are known to penetrate walls of steel as thick as two meters wide! Like other tanks, it can fire shells, but thanks to the laser technology, it can fire more accurately and more powerfully.

* * *

"An impressive tank," Yosef noted. "That's a lot of laser for a tank. I am surprised that the Chinese forces kept a few models inside of South America."

"It really is useful," Miho said. "The fact that our scouts found not one, but 10 of these models...speaks a lot."

"Imagine if the Chinese forces could field such tanks right now..." Hana said, causing Mako to shiver.

"But we hit the jackpot," Anzu said. "When we managed to infiltrate the Korean vaults."

"Speaking of that," Momo said. "Yosef-sama, your keys helped us to infiltrate the vaults."

"Thank you for that!" the girls replied with a bow.

"No worries," he remarked. "We're in this together."

Smiling, Anzu gave Yuzu a few paper documents, which she then put on the table. On it were two tanks: the K3 Bom and the K21-XEN5. The latter had a word "Kitten" written on the side, with a picture of Boko's face next to it.

* * *

K3 Bom

The K3 Bom ("Tiger") is the secret project, a drastic modification of the K2 Black Panther, the latest main battle tank of the South Korean forces. Like other tanks discovered, it has a 155-mm smoothbore gun and a few very powerful machine guns. However, it was more futuristic, with 3D touchscreens that looked like something from a sci-fi film. In fact, it is one of the most advanced tanks discovered: it has extremely advanced targeting systems, complemented by an advanced AI system that allows the gun to semi-function even without the crew!

However, the tank's greatest advantage is its ability to fire underwater. Unlike other guns, the Bom's cannon can fire underwater, something that is impossible for other tanks' guns. Furthermore, the commander's hatch can turn into a smokestack-like pipe, which doubles as a turret tower, with its own gun for the commander to use!

* * *

"To be honest," Miho said. "The Black Panther is much better than the Type 10 of Japan. My mother will kill me if I said that out loud."

"I do not blame you," Hana said. "Plus, unlike the JSDF, the South Korean forces are free to wage war. Hence, they have generally better weapons than we do."

"And this Bom tank," Yukari squealed. "Is even better!"

"A great one," Miho said humbly. "Since we have plenty of rivers and bodies of water in this area, I have personally directed three of our factories to produce this type of tank. And this one is cute."

"Hence the 'Kitten' name," Mako noted. "And unlike the other Korean vaults, the vault that we found this Kitten had Belgian flags in addition to the Korean ones."

* * *

K21-XEN5 "Kitten"

K21-XEN5 "Kitten" is a Senshazon modification of a few secret blueprints and prototypes of a light tank model. It is apparently based on two light tank versions: the K21-105 and the K-21 with an XC-8 turret, both joint projects by a Belgian company and South Korean company. Despite being a light tank, it wields a 155-mm gun; a smoothbore and a rifled version exist. Indeed, due to both its light size and convenience of production, it is now a common presence in New Ooarai.

* * *

"We have over 1,500 of these," Momo noted.

"And they're cute," Mako said with a plain voice.

"And we have more farms than ever," Saori said with a sigh of relief.

"We have stores of food," Yosef said. "But it's good to have fresh produce, and enjoy them while we are good."

The teams looked up, as a TV screen stuck to a wall suddenly sounded, and blared an image.

"Miho-senpai!" a young face appeared.

"Taiga-san!" Miho replied.

Ou Taiga was a member of the Broadcasting Club, one of five who had escaped with Miho's group. Now, she was a leader of the Communications Company, which was in charge of the New Ooarai's communications network. Thanks to the engineering and electronic girls' expertise, and the Anteater Team's intervention, the CC maintained a successful network that extended miles beyond the safety of the walls, and scouts as far away as 500 miles could easily connect to the New Ooarai communications centers.

"How are you doing?" Miho asked.

"We're doing great!" Taiga replied with a salute. "Our scouts report no suspicious invasions of any coordinated kind."

"Coordinated kind?" the others asked.

"She meant anyone other than the Salvajes," Yosef said.

The girls sighed. Now that the girls had advanced weapons and well-established walls, the strange Salvajes were a mere annoyance.

"They're just like orcs from old games," Yosef groaned. "They are not very smart, as they simply try and ram through the walls. But their huge muscles cannot even penetrate; are they that stupid?"

"Our medical girls," Taiga said from the screen. "Gave us reports about them. We have learned something very disturbing: these Salvajes have greatly reduced brains."

"I knew it," Yosef and Mako both said in agreement.

"But caused by drugs," she added.

"Drugs?"

"Of course," Mako said. "Most drugs, especially illegal ones, are known to kill brain cells. I have seen a few of them, but I hated to destroy my poor brain."

"From a police station?" Saori asked.

She nodded, and Saori sighed.

"What happened?" Hana asked.

"A few times," Saori explained. "The police took Mako to their station, because they thought that she was 'lost' or 'drugged.'"

The girls sweated a little. They could not help it; Mako was indeed on the shorter side, and her tendency to limp around made her look a little unstable.

"There," Saori continued. "She saw a variety of stuff that only the police would see regularly."

"No wonder," Miho said.

"Salvajes or Selvagens or whatever you call them," Yosef said, gritting his teeth. "Are essentially humans who have been addicted to drugs and crimes and bad stuff. When the Apocalypse struck, they simply mutated into monstrous versions of themselves."

"Good thing we're safe!" Saori shivered. "I wonder: what about the others?"

The group became eerily quiet. She struck a chord with that one. All this time, the people of New Ooarai were focused on creating a safe haven, which eventually evolved into a self-sufficient community, complete with walls, tanks, and all kinds of amenities befitting a true city. Now, the girls and Yosef realized that now...what to do next?

"Um," Miho began, trying to ameliorate the situation. "Why not-"

"WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!" the TV screen blared, the red letters appearing.

"CC!" Miho called, activating the system. "Communications Company! What's going on?"

"Miho-senpai!" Taiga roared, her face sweating. "A group of scouts got attacked! They're still alive, but admit that they have to attack or die!"

The group looked at Miho, who sweated.

"Wha-what happened?" Miho asked again.

"It appears to be an actual army!" Taiga gasped. "Some weird soldiers in futuristic armor are coming this way!"

 _Miho?_ Mira's voice echoed inside of her. _Can you?_

Miho gulped, panting a little.

 _It's alright_ , Mana's voice echoed inside of her. _We have told you: the clone-girls, unlike "real" girls, are expendable. It's not wrong, since they are willing. It's not your fault. Since you have been so good at keeping us all alive..._

 _Please give the girls a chance to fight_ , Mira's voice echoed. _They deserve it, and don't want to die in vain._

Miho breathed, then smiled; she felt calm now.

"Tell them to fight," Miho said, as Taiga saluted before turning off. "Girls, let's get ready."

"Me and Mo will do what we can," Yosef said, as the rest of the group hurried out.

"Don't worry," Miho said, as she put on a Merkava helmet, the screens flashing on the visor. "We're ready this time. Panzer vor."

* * *

 **Finally, this chapter is done!**

 **Unfortunately, I managed to push myself, but I believe that I feel...fried.**

 **This time, I believe that my writer's block is due to working so long on this GuP story. Now, I believe that I will have to take a long break.**

 **Thus, this story is officially on hiatus. Unlike some stories, this story is not cancelled, but I will have to take a break from this story.**

 **Please, let me know how this story is right now, especially in telling me how to tidy up the story. I appreciate any help from the reviews.**

 **While I am resting, I am going to see what to write next. Maybe I will write another GuP fanfic, while resting from "Rise of Senshazonia" or I may write a different story. Please let me know what you want to see.**

 **Thank you for your support, and thank you so much for helping me out!**

 **I give a shout-out to the following:**

 **-aGuestfromGreece45 for being a constant help.**

 **-commanderstarscream123 for helping me to write.**

 **-Trex98 for his great worldbuilding ideas.**

 **-Inceptor57 and DarthFii for their advices.**

 **-Anime Psychologist for his great advices concerning emotional and psychological aspects.**

* * *

 **Reviews, likes, and follows are appreciated, and thank you for being patient with me.**

 **Like I said, this story is officially on hiatus for now. Until then, panzer vor!**


	16. Update on Hiatus

**Greetings from SeekerMeeker. I have an important announcement.**

* * *

 **Update on Hiatus**

Thank you everyone for your patience. Since October 16, the day I last updated, I was on hiatus, due to one BIG writer's block. I was also busy with life and a writing competition known as Nanowrimo (or NaNoWriMo), so my hands were full.

But now, I see that my "Rise of Senshazonia" currently has 60 reviews, 17 favorites, and 22 follows.

Thank you to everyone for their patience. I appreciate your comments and reviews, plus encouragements. Being a writer, even amateur, is no easy task. But now, I have to make this announcement:

 **In a few days, I will be posting a BRAND-NEW story!**

Finally, I am going to make a new story, after all of those days of waiting.

And about this story? It's still on hiatus, until I am sure of what to do.

Thank you for your patience, and feel free to PM me.

DO NOT review on this; this "chapter" may be susceptible to being removed!

Thank you, and panzer vor!


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